The Gil Irving Files: Altamira Murders
by Canada Cowboy
Summary: Modern, AU, after TOTD. Gil, Lloyd and friends go on a summer vacation to Altamira and they run into two mysterious murders there. With Altamira police at a loss to solve the crimes, they must turn to the former mole to help them track down the culprits.
1. Vacation and Reunions

Finally, here is my return to "Tales of Symphonia." This is a crime/mystery story that takes place directly after "Tales of the Departed" so you may need to read that story before you can understand this one. This is more inspired by a Chinese sitcom series that features a somewhat-crazy detective and his unorthodox ways of solving crime. I just changed a couple of their cases to make it fit in this story, and as not to plagiarize or copy. In general, it'll be a more light-hearted and funnier story.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"And that's the last one. I don't believe I owe you guys anything anymore." Former undercover police officer Gilbert Irving signed his name to a cheque. It was two weeks after Cruxis had been defeated, and Gil had had a lot of time to recover from his wounds and check his bank account. He finally managed to put together a sum to return to his friends after all their efforts in taking care of his son during the last ten years.

"Seriously, Gil, you don't have to do this. We know you've had to do undercover work the last ten years, and we're more than happy to help you deal with Lloyd. You're a single dad, for crying out loud!" Frank Brunel, the blond-haired archaeology professor told him. Lloyd had spent a majority of his time at the Brunel residence, and developed a good friendship with their daughter Colette. The two only recently revealed that they were a couple and planned to go on a first date some time soon.

"No, it's only right I do this. Besides, I can afford to return the money thanks to a special yearly bonus from the police during the years I worked as a mole," Gil replied, putting his folders away, "It's totally tax-free, so I don't have to pay anything back."

"Do you still have enough to help you and Lloyd through the next little while? Don't forget that you're on sick leave right now, thanks to your cast," Lynn Sage, a grey-haired woman of seventy-two years pointed out. The Sage household was another area Lloyd spent time at, as Lloyd stayed with Lynn when the Brunels were unavailable. He also had a good friendship with granddaughter Raine and grandson Genis, both of whom were half-elves. It also didn't hurt that Lynn had been the pillar of support during some of Gil's harder times as a mole, even though she had no idea about it.

"I have more than enough," Gil responded with a grin, "I can pay this year's mortgage, put more savings into Lloyd's college fund, provided his marks will improve this coming year, and take us all on vacation." Gil whipped out a brochure on Altamira, and flipped to the pages featuring the penthouse suites. "My friend and fellow mole, Zelos Wilder, and I have decided to invite everyone involved in the fiasco to the resort to spend a week here, just to relax and wind down the summer vacation. I won't do too much, thanks to my cast and crutches, but at least we can let the kids have some fun. You're all invited, so if you're not doing anything then start packing your bags."

Everyone nodded, agreeing that it was a vacation worth going. After all the past events regarding Cruxis, becoming refugees, gathering summon spirits, Origin, and being blasted to the Derris Kharlan comet, why not take a relaxing vacation? "So is it just the three families here, or are there more people?" Frank's wife Phoebe asked.

"We've extended invitations to a few others, but only Sheena accepted to come with us. I've especially told Zelos not to be too flirty with the invitation to her or else he might just lose his teeth when she arrives," Gil explained, to the laughter of his friends. Gil had told them about Zelos' flirtatious nature, and they were well aware of all the rejections his fellow mole had received. So to make enticing remarks to the Mizuho native, and a strong woman in her own right, was only playing with fire.

But returning to a more serious note, Gil continued, "Mark Owen was invited but declined, saying he wants to help his brother Kuchinawa get through his court date first. Altessa also declined, and so did Seles, Zelos' sister. They're still recuperating from their ordeal in Cruxis prisons. Zelos told me Regal Bryant lives in Altamira, so he might drop by and say hi. And I didn't invite Presea Combatir, since she's still being investigated by the police." Cruxis had, against her will, sent Presea into the police to serve as their mole. While she was cured, the Special Investigations Unit, the unit she worked for, insisted on conforming to procedure and doing a formal investigation on her.

As the Brunels and the Sages left the Irving residence, going back to their homes to pack for their departure in two days, Gil hobbled back up the stairs on his crutches and slowly entered his room while Lloyd went into the bathroom. It was a routine for them now, as Lloyd would clean up for the night first, while Gil worked quietly in his room for a bit longer. But this time, the routine was anything but normal, as Gil received some news earlier that would change their lives forever. "We want to open a new sub-unit, run jointly between SIU and Major Crimes, to tackle issues common to both units," Arthur Noishe, his captain and the former Protozoan from the Kharlan war, described, "We want a new staff sergeant to lead while Captain Burton and I manage our own units, and we're wondering if you may be interested in this position."

And thanks to that, Gil had to re-organize his entire room, returning all documents relating to Cruxis to Noishe and getting new files set up. And above all, a lot of the things relating to Anna, his late wife, were also packed away, except for a little notebook that had her past ideas for novels and short stories. Gil flipped through the pages, once again reminded of the times when their family was together. Gil was a rising star officer in the force, while Anna had been an aspiring writer. Anna's stories were mainly historical in nature, putting characters in famous past events and their reactions to them, but there was one time when Gil challenged her to write a mystery or crime novel. "I'm a cop, not a history buff, so why don't you try something up my alley?" he recalled teasing her.

But what started as a joke over a decade ago now became reality, as Gil was inspired to write a series of mystery and crimes stories in a book of his own. It would be his tribute to Anna, even after all the undercover detective work he did. He was so caught up in organizing his notes for the novel that he didn't even realize Lloyd had stepped out from the bathroom, changed into his usual sleepwear and now stood at his door. "Dad, what are you looking for?" he asked, one eyebrow cocked upwards.

Gil glanced up from his desk, seeing his teenage son standing before him wearing only his boxer briefs. It seemed so long ago when he last spoke to his son without the need to hide anything. Back then, Lloyd was a six-year-old who spoke in a squeaky voice and loved running around the house energetically. Now, he was almost a man, which made Gil realize how much more he needed to do to regain all those lost years. What if he could get Lloyd involved in this book project? "I'm just looking for some things that I can do while I'm in Altamira," Gil explained, "I won't be running around the beach, or going swimming, or doing anything physical, so I thought I'd do something a bit more intellectual. Have you seen my laptop and charger?" he asked.

Lloyd's eyebrow rose even higher. "Dad, the only reason you're planning this trip is to relax. Why on earth are you bringing your work with you?" he demanded, slowly edging up to the desk and looking through some of the messy files for the box-like object.

"It's actually a new project I'll be working on. You see, I once challenged your mother to write a mystery or crime novel, and she actually entertained the idea after the first one got published," Gil replied, "Cruxis got to her before she could start the work, so I thought I'd do it on her behalf. And I was hoping you'd help me out by offering some ideas, although if you want to go swimming then I don't mind." He finished with a wink.

Lloyd smiled. Despite being so young when Anna's first novel was published, Lloyd still remembered how happy the entire family was. If this was his father's way of honouring Anna outside of his police work, then by all means he would join in. "You bet I'll help," he stated, "anything to make Mom proud."

* * *

"Dad, are you sure you don't want the bathroom? If not, then I'll change!" Lloyd called from the doorway. After a long, tiring flight, the three families finally arrived to their hotel in Altamira, and they couldn't believe their eyes. When they entered their suites, they were greeted with luxuries that were more common in millionaire circles. Each suite had a lookout retreat that had a panorama view of the beach, a large central entertainment area with a plasma wide-screen television, a bathroom with walk-in closet and spa, and all the room service they could get. It was truly an option for the rich.

"No Lloyd, I'm fine. I don't have to put anything in here. I just want to make this phone call first," Gil replied, tapping on his cell phone. Upon seeing the beach, Lloyd, Colette and Genis became excited and wanted to get down there as soon as possible. Each person occupied their respective bathroom as they changed into their swimsuits, leaving the rest of the group to collect their thoughts and belongings as they waited.

"That's right, except for your toothbrush, you didn't bring anything else," Lloyd recalled as he stripped off his shirt. He left the door ajar, so he could make a quick exit and race his friends to the beach. "You didn't bring your razor because you wanted to grow your goatee back, right?" Gil had shaved off his goatee when he, along with Lloyd and others, received an award for stopping Cruxis, but over two weeks with only slight trims here and there had his goatee growing back to almost the way it was before.

"That would be correct, now where on earth is he?" Gil muttered, dialling his phone again. Zelos told everyone he already arrived, but was consulting with the hotel manager over some details. Still, it was unusual for him to have a busy signal for that long, as Gil wondered what was tying up his friend. "Come on, Zelos, pick up."

Just then, the bathroom door whipped open, revealing Lloyd in his beach gear. He wore a pair of dark blue board shorts that ended just above the knees, and had a snorkel and swim goggles in his hands. "I originally wanted to go diving, but I don't have any flippers, so I'll just take my sneakers then," he told Gil, "I'm off, are you coming along?"

Gil looked up, caught completely off guard at his son's quick wardrobe change. "I have to grab some stuff first, so can I join you later?" he asked, "I can't do too many activities anyway, not with my cast still on. So no swimming, snorkelling, or volleyball for me. I'll just stay in the shade and make sure nothing weird happens."

Lloyd cocked an eyebrow. "You don't have to be a killjoy," he retorted, "I'll just hand out with Colette and Genis and see what we can do by ourselves." With that, the swimsuit-clad teenager raced off, leaving Gil still on the sofa alone. Sighing, the former undercover cop slipped his phone into his pocket and rifled through his bag.

By the time Gil had gathered his laptop and notebook, the rest of his group had already made their way to the beach, getting ready for a picnic lunch and an afternoon of surf and sun. There were sounds of the waves banging against the sand, children laughing as they played, and generally relaxation as people enjoyed this hot, sunny summer day. It made Gil look like an anomaly on this beach; while most people wore only swimsuits, Gil had a T-shirt with a short-sleeved jacket and pants that dropped to his knees, ending just above his cast. He was also wearing his dress shoes, making a difficult situation for his crutches to find balance even harder as he strutted awkwardly to a nearby bench.

"Hey Dad, you finally made it," Lloyd called, approaching his father with Colette and Genis, "Everyone's waiting for you. What do you plan to do?"

Gil opened his laptop and waited for it to load, while looking at the threesome before him. Colette had on a white spaghetti-strapped tank top and a brown summer skirt. Genis had on a straw hat and two-toned trunks that alternated between orange on his left side and white on his right. Its overall length was shorter than Lloyd's, as the waistband was at level with his pelvis and the bottom cut off just between his hips and knees. "I'm just going to relax and start doing some writing," Gil announced, "I don't mind having you stick around, but don't you want to go play with the others or something?"

Lloyd, Colette, and Genis glanced to the far right side, where the rest of the group had rested. Raine had a similar outfit to Colette, except her tank top and skirt were both dark blue. Sheena, who had arrived earlier, had on a burgundy one-piece and was talking with the other adults. None of Frank, Phoebe and Lynn had changed into swimsuits, but all had on summer-style clothing, with light-coloured, short-sleeved shirts and shorts. "Yeah, let's try and get some of them wet," Lloyd suggested, "especially Raine!" He giggled in glee as he charged off, with Colette and Genis closely following.

Gil shook his head, laughing at Lloyd's inner child as he loaded some files. He had a bunch of ideas already written down in the notebook, and was intent on translating some of them into a story in the next week. Before long, he was absorbed into his work, focusing solely on the monitor while occasionally taking quick peeks at his group. He knew it had only been about five to ten minutes since he started typing, but ideas were flowing from his brain, through his fingers, and onto the keyboard like a river. It was also around this time that a tall man in an aqua full-body wetsuit approached the other group. "That must be Regal," Gil murmured, "I don't recognize that guy outside of his suit."

"No, don't splash me! I don't want to get into the water! Aaahh!" the sound of Raine's scream echoed through the beach as Lloyd, Colette, and Genis managed to get her close enough to the water and drenched the female half-elf. Gil chuckled as he saw the threesome dash off with a soaked and angry Raine chasing after them, shouting various curse words. Wonder why she's so scared, Gil thought, maybe she can't swim?

Just then, a familiar figure approached from Gil's left, yellow flip-flops crunching against the golden sand as he inched his way forward. Gil lifted his head to see a very exposed red-haired young man standing before him. He only had on a pair of sunglasses and a purple Speedo, wrapped tighter around his privates than anyone had anticipated. In fact, the only other area unexposed, if the tight purple briefs counted at all, was his left wrist, which was enclosed by a large, white cast. Nevertheless, Gil welcomed the strange visitor. "Zelos Wilder, so you're here after all," he greeted, extending his hand.

The redhead returned the gesture as the two men shook hands. Gil and Zelos had had an opportunity to work together during their Cruxis case, with each representing their respective country of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. Initially, they had not recognized each other's existence as moles. It led to a shootout where Gil shot Zelos' hand and Zelos hit Gil's shin, causing each side to sport similar casts. But their injuries weren't enough to stop the two from vacationing here. "I tried to reach you earlier, but your line was busy for a long time. What was that all about?" Gil asked.

"We were getting some details regarding room locations," Zelos replied, taking off his shades, "Sheena and I are staying by ourselves, so there's no point in getting penthouses for us. We moved to the floor right below you, and booked a couple of luxury suites. It doesn't have as many features as your penthouse, but it's still considered a high-class room. We can still get to each other's rooms easily, but saves us a bundle." Zelos then lowered his head to Gil's ear and whispered, "You know, for someone getting a Master's Degree, Sheena's got a pretty good body. You think bookworms or graduate students like her wouldn't be that gorgeous, but man alive! Just take a look at her!"

Gil shook his head again. "My eyes are on my laptop, not because I have pretty girls in bikinis here," he retorted, typing in another sentence, "my heart is set on only one woman, and her name is Anna Irving. I don't mind you speaking flirtatiously in code, since I use my son as a code as well; but don't take it so real or some angry girl will make sure you lose your already somewhat-revealing you-know-what real soon," he warned.

Just then, a strange silence descended on the beach. Gil and Zelos looked around and saw most visitors, particularly younger men, turning to the same direction like they had been mass-hypnotized. The two former moles followed and saw a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and clad in a baby-blue string bikini marching towards them. She took each step carefully, as not to damage any part of her body, but there was a flirty tinge to her movements as well. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, and any young man near her melted like ice cream dropped into the sand. From his position in the shade, Gil guessed she was in her early-twenties, and stood five-foot-seven or eight, above the average female height. "Eye candy for you, Zelos?" he teased.

But oddly enough, Zelos didn't change into his girl-crazy mode and go gaga over her. In fact, there was a slight hint of irritation across his face, bordering on livid as the redhead quickly clenched and unclenched his fists. "I can't believe she's here," he angrily muttered, staring daggers at the bikini-clad lady half-strutting, half-posing towards them.

Unfortunately for Zelos, the lady spotted him, and made no attempt to hide her discontent with his presence. "Well, so the famous Zelos Wilder thinks he can appear in my presence just because he so-called saved the world? You know that the spotlight can't be removed from me that easily, despite all your efforts in the last few years," she snidely stated, "Unless you're now into modelling after getting fired by the Intelligence Bureau. Is Speedo so desperate for models that it has to hire you to market their products?"

"When I left Meltokio back then, I made it very clear that I never wanted to see you again, and I told you to stay away from my family and friends. So if you're up to any funny business, don't expect me to take it lightly. I'll expose your every dirty secret to the world!" Zelos threatened, jabbing a finger in the supermodel's face.

The lady, however, was unfazed. Glancing at her fingers nonchalantly, she calmly replied, "I'm a model. I've been a public figure for three years, and within the last year my work has made me a household name. I'm now a rising star in the industry, so what do I have to hide?" she retorted. Dropping her hand to her waist, she turned her eyes back to Zelos. "You, on the other hand, are a mole. You have your recent history covered by the government to protect your identity. Had it not been you receiving that award, we won't even know what you've been doing. So who's got more to hide here?"

Suddenly, the lull in activity at the beach changed to uneasy chatter as visitors gathered near the two, anticipating a world-famous supermodel go toe-to-toe against one of their world's saviours. Even Lloyd, Colette, and Genis, who were being chased by Raine earlier, made their way back and observed anxiously. All this prompted Gil to try diffusing the issue. "Guys, will you just calm down?" he requested, hobbling on his crutches to the antagonistic pair, "We're on vacation here, so try relaxing, will you?"

But before Gil could say another word, someone burst ploughed his way in from the back like a bulldozer. The mysterious figure bullied his way through Lloyd, Colette and Genis, shoving Genis onto the ground while spinning Colette aside. She fell right into the arms of Lloyd, who dodged just in time and managed to catch the falling blonde. "Candy! Candy!" he yelled, "I'm over here. I'm your biggest fan, Candy!"

Unfortunately for Gil, the fanatic was on a beeline for him. While the model's assistants protected her and Zelos was mobile enough to step aside, there was no way for the crutches-holding, dress shoes-wearing, goateed Iselia police officer to manoeuvre. The crazed fan rumbled through almost in slow motion, and Gil managed to catch a glimpse of his face. He seemed to be a nerdy type, a short, stocky figure wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a plaid T-shirt. He looks more out of place than me, Gil thought.

But as that ran through his head, it was like Derris Kharlan had just slammed into the planet as super fan ran into super cop. Like pins being smashed by a bowling ball at the alley, two entangled bodies hit the sand, kicking up the golden dust into everyone's faces. While the fan moaned in discomfort, Gil screamed in pain. "My leg, aaarrgh!" he cried, clutching his cast, which now had the full weight of this stocky young man on top.

Spectators could only stare in shock as the fan kicked and writhed to get free, still determined to get to his idol. Lifeguards had already shown up and wrestled the young man to the sand, subduing him while calling for back-up. All this time, Gil had nearly fainted from the pain, realizing full well that his cast might have been broken. From the far side, Gil's friends rushed in to check on his condition. Genis gingerly lifted himself off the sand while Lloyd and Colette continued their odd embrace. Lloyd had his nose buried into Colette's hair while Colette pressed tightly against Lloyd's chest, her hand feeling Lloyd's developing six-pack and two fingers rubbing the rim of his belly button. The two held onto each other in a probably unintended display of their affection while occasionally taking concerned side peeks at Gil.

Finally, the strange silence was snapped open like a balloon being popped. A livid Raine Sage, still dripping with water, marched up to the group. "What's going on here?" she demanded, her voice alone piercing enough to cause shudders among the tourists.

* * *

"Be careful, please be careful!" Gil called as he and Zelos tried to refit the cast. After a check-up from the First Aid station at the beach, it was determined that Gil was not seriously injured in the collision. However, it loosened the cast, meaning his leg might not get optimal recovery. Seeing how all they had to do was to reposition it, Gil chose not to go to the hospital and went with police to the station. As they waited for the officer in charge, Gil and Zelos decided to deal with the cast, with limited success.

"You got to get the other side, see?" Zelos told Gil, pointing at the loose end. He was the only member of Gil's group in the office, as Lloyd and company waited outside. They were all still in their swimsuits, as the events happened so quickly that they never got a chance to change. The fact that there was a supermodel in a bikini and a rather well-built man in a Speedo at the police station raised some eyebrows to passing staff.

Finally, the unit head stepped into the room. "My name's Lieutenant Arnold and I heard the testimonies given by all sides. This seems to be a typical super fan goes crazy for his idol case, and we determined that the so-called assaulter, Andrew Crocker, was of no harm to anyone. In fact, we found that he is a bit mentally challenged, to put it bluntly, and he only charged in and ran into you because he saw his favourite celebrity."

He turned his attention to the supermodel sitting to his left. The young woman had her eyes scanning casually around the station, her attention away from the table, and most likely the two men on the other side. It was almost like as if she didn't care for the past events. "Miss Candice Shallow, we understand that you're in town for a modelling project involving some precious jewellery, and had been staying in the hotel just up from the beach. You were taking a walk on the beach when Crocker ran into you. Since this seems to be accidental, the onus is on you to lay charges. Will you press charges?"

Candy whipped around to face Arnold, her eyes flashing in irritation but speaking in an annoyingly arrogant tone. "No, I'll let the 'Little Croc' go, since I should have expected that fanatics like him would chase me. After all, supermodels like me are bound to have fans, so why should I be surprised by what happened?" she smugly replied.

On the lieutenant's right side, Gil and Zelos rolled their eyes in disbelief. And they took no attempt to hide their disgust when Arnold offered the same to them. "We'll let him go too. There's no point wasting our time worrying about what some celebrities like to do with their fans," Zelos spat, shooting a menacing look across the table.

But Candy was undeterred. Instead, she volleyed her own verbal cannon at the redhead. "Hey, my time's wasted too. I have a photo shoot this afternoon, and a press conference tonight, so you think I'm not busy?" she snapped back, "Tomorrow, I'm going to be modelling for hundreds of VIP's, so I can't let certain wannabe heroes interfere."

Before Gil and Zelos could say another word, Candy got up and signalled to her assistants. They breezed out the door and headed straight for the exit, leaving all those in the office in shock. Shaking his head, Lieutenant Arnold packed the file and ordered the young man to be released. But before letting the two former moles off, he turned to Gil and Zelos. "It's great to see two fantastic heroes of the world visit Altamira. The Altamira police, and particularly our unit, have nothing but respect for you two. If you're not leaving town soon, maybe you should come give a talk about your experiences," he suggested.

"As long as you provide the food, there won't be any whiney supermodels who don't appreciate our work around, and Zelos and I don't show up half-dead, you got a deal!" Gil declared, "We'll be around for a week, so if you want us, we'll be in touch." Gil pulled out some scrap paper and scribbled his hotel contact information for Arnold.

Arnold picked up the sheet and studied the phone number. Clacking his tongue, he stared at the two former moles curiously. "You're staying in the same hotel as Miss Shallow. That's exactly where she said they'll be hosting the auction," he pointed out.

Gil and Zelos looked at each other with an exasperated expression. "Well isn't that a dandy? Just when you don't want her to be near, she has to book a room there," Zelos threw up his hands in disgust, "But then again, the jewel I heard they'll auction tomorrow will be an expensive one, so there's bound to be security around. Let's just hope we can avoid them, and you-know-who, altogether."

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Colette asked Lloyd as they gathered at the hotel's dining room. Part of the group's exclusive package included meals served fine-dining style by the hotel staff, and Zelos and Sheena were also beneficiaries to this service. But certain activities to be happening in the ballroom later on that night was forcing them to have their dinner early, before being ushered out altogether for a larger group.

"What do I think about what?" Lloyd replied, confused by the blonde. The beach incident caused everyone to cut their entire day short, and most just opted to relax at the hotel rather than do anything else extensive. Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and Raine still hadn't changed out of their summer gears, but Lloyd and Genis did throw shirts on just to avoid showing up shirtless. But Lloyd and Colette took seats on one end of the table, almost like they had secrets they didn't want to share with anyone else.

"You know, back at the beach when that fan ran over us, I fell and you caught me, but you didn't let go for quite a while," Colette described, a coy look on her face, "Why such a long hold? You know I was fine, right?"

Lloyd blushed, trying to avoid Colette's eyes. "Well, you didn't want to let go of me either, and your hands did do their fair share of wandering around, so I could ask you the same question, can't I?" he retorted, turning to the side to hide his goofy grin.

But as everyone waited for their food to arrive, Gil pulled Zelos aside to a smaller table and demanded some answers from him. "It's pretty obvious that you and Candy had some history together, otherwise there wouldn't be that confrontation on the beach. So you want to give me some details or do I have to go mole-mode all over you?"

Zelos sighed. Unlike the rest of the group, he had to change out of his Speedo and into some more regular clothes, and now sported a sports jacket and cargo pants. "I don't want this to be a big commotion because it's not something I'm particularly proud of, but since we're pretty close, I'm willing to tell you," he stated in an almost-whisper, "I know Candy because she used to be one of Seles' friends, and highlight 'used to be'."

Gil leaned his head in to listen carefully as Zelos continued his tale. "Candy and Seles attended high school together, and had most of their first-year university classes with each other too. They've gotten along quite well, and I've come to know Candy when Seles invited her over a few times. Then suddenly, Candy wanted a part-time job to make some money for tuition. I wasn't too surprised, since I went through that stage, and Seles has been considering working as well, but what Candy chose as a career shocked me."

Gil almost choked on his water. "You find modelling shocking? The great chick-magnet Zelos Wilder actually disapproved of his sister's friend in choosing modelling?"

Zelos repeatedly tapped his finger on his lips, signalling Gil to quiet down. "It's not about modelling that I'm against. If I wanted to take her advice today and sign up for Speedo's models, then I wouldn't mind at all. But it's what she became that surprised me the most," Zelos murmured, glancing around to check if anyone heard them, "From the first audition, every photographer said Candy had potential. They wanted her to consider this as a long-term project, even forgoing her university years. That fame really got into her head, and she started becoming mean and snarky to everyone. She would snap at anyone who didn't give way to her, she got upset every time she didn't get what she wanted, and often said mean-spirited things to those who disagreed with her."

Gil rolled his eyes. This was another typical "let the moment get to your head" case where one was put in the spotlight and forgot about everything else. "So what did you do about it? And how did Seles react to her best friend chewing everyone out?"

"I wasn't in university with them. Remember that my post-secondary schooling was with the military, where they trained me for working in the intelligence for minimal price. In exchange, I must serve a mandatory four years in the army," Zelos answered, "But Seles did mention she felt their friendship becoming rocky, and how sometimes Candy would direct her frustration at her. So I finally confronted her about it, telling her that if she valued Seles' and my friendship, then she'd stop this act altogether, or we won't approve of her modelling career and cut ties with her."

"And I assumed she didn't take it well," Gil finished the story for Zelos, "She felt you were intruding into her spotlight, and that you're preventing her from advancing her career. You guys did cut ties, and then Seles got kidnapped by Cruxis. You offered to go undercover for the Intelligence Bureau as part of your mandatory service while she had her career shoot through the roof. Now, three years later, your rivalry renews with you being a world-famous hero and she being a world-famous model. Is that accurate?"

The redhead nodded. "But what hurt me the most was that even when Seles was kidnapped, she acted like she didn't care," Zelos added, "Seles was a former friend of hers, so at least she should have shown some compassion, right? But no, she had her career to deal with and didn't even bother to call our family. Do you think there's more I could have done to convince her, maybe approach it differently?" he asked Gil.

Gil shrugged. "You did all you could. While she turned a deaf ear, you ended up saving the world with my friends and me, so what more could you ask for?" Gil retorted, "This is people's main flaw: they're so quick to illogically put their faith behind someone or something that they sacrifice their own thoughts. They put their idols on a pedestal, and the idols think they're truly great and can never go wrong. Throughout history, this move has proven disastrous. Four thousand years ago, everyone believed Martel the Goddess and Mithos the Hero will end the war, and the world ended up being split in two. Three hundred years ago, everyone supported Lloyd Irving the idealist, my son's namesake, and his quest to create the new world, and the result was a decades-long civil war. And a few hours ago, everyone went gaga when a supermodel left the police station, and believed her body means more to society than two guys who spent years trying to dismantle an extremist organization that almost destroyed the world."

Just then, their food was brought out, prompting Gil and Zelos to move back to their original table. "I do agree with your points, Gil, and it's truly sad that people can't get this out of their heads. Blindly worshipping and putting faith in one person or thing won't lead to any good. I wonder if it's because we're moles that we're more sensitive to this, and won't give in to these crazy idol worships as easily," Zelos wondered.

Gil shrugged as he took his seat. His cast was successfully repaired by Phoebe the nurse, giving him better mobility. "Given that we lied to, cheated, and backstabbed everyone we met, I say that's accurate." With that, the two moles ended gloomier talks in favour of something lighter and happier as they joined their friends. Soon, the beach's events were forgotten as they rejoiced their time together and reminisced about some of the harder times they went through and how they managed to conquer them as a group.

All that was left for the group was dessert, and it wasn't even seven o'clock yet. But knowing that the dining room was booked, they had to be on their way. Lloyd and Colette continued to be somewhat lovey-dovey without anyone noticing. "That was the first time we actually hugged in public, other than the cutting of the Great Seed," Colette pointed out, "Looks like we're still not used to it yet, huh?"

Lloyd shrugged, the goofy grin returning to his face. "Our parents and friends know, and sooner or later everyone at school will know. But no matter, you know I still love you." Their hands crept closer to each other before their fingers entwined. The love between them was blossoming, and it was so tempting for them to display it publicly. "I really enjoyed the dinner. Can we consider it an unofficial first date?" Lloyd asked.

Colette blushed and smiled, and Lloyd took the chance to lift her hand up. He was about to bring it to his lips for a kiss when they were suddenly interrupted. "Everyone, I want you to meet someone," Sheena's voice called, prompting Lloyd and Colette to pull their hands back onto their laps. They glanced at each other with expressions bordering guilty and embarrassed while the attention was on the Mizuho native. "Before I came down for dinner, I met up an old high school friend also staying in Altamira. This is Masako, who was hired as Lezareno's warranty director two weeks ago. He's staying at the hotel while still looking for a place. Masako, these are my friends."

The dark-haired man in a suit nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My current position at Lezareno deals with ensuring the effectiveness of our companies' warranties with our clients, and that means meeting with quite a lot of people. Of course, living in a luxury suite of this hotel, second in luxury only to the penthouse, doesn't hurt my clients' impressions, don't you think?" he explained, much to the laughter of the crowd.

"Masako originally invited me to his room tonight just to catch up on old times, but I think I speak for all of us when I say I've had too much excitement today to wander off," Sheena described. Turning back to her friend, she promised him that she would be there the next night. "Provided nothing weird happens tomorrow, you bet I'll show up."

* * *

As Gil and company departed the dining room, a press conference had just ended in the ball room. The topic of discussion was the auction of a very precious necklace in world history, where millionaires and other rich collectors would gather at the hotel the next day to bid on it. And to model the necklace out for the potential buyers was none other than Candice Shallow. "Please remember the auction begins at three o'clock, and the starting price is three million dollars," the head auctioneer reminded the press.

The reporters and stage staff were allowed to join with the auction cast to the dining room for a high class dinner, with Candice leading the way. "Why did you choose me for modelling jewellery two years ago when I was still into clothing and swimwear? Almost all my jewellery modelling was done in cooperation with you. And now, in my most dramatic show yet, it's also with you," she asked.

The man she posed the question to, a bespectacled, short-haired, slim individual looking very serious yet nervous in a suit and tie, couldn't help but smile. "You were a very special person, Candy. When every photographer you auditioned for praised you as a star, I had to come see for myself. And indeed, your appearance is perfect, so much so that it seemed like every valuable jewel was crafted all for you to wear and model. That's why, as the jewellery expert in my firm, I had to recruit you to work with us."

Candy had a sly grin creep across her face. "You sound worse than some of my richer fans. They're always saying stuff like that just to get me to go out with them," she retorted, "But you know how to make me happy, so I like that, Mr. Leonard Yancey."

Leonard looked apprehensive, not sure how to properly respond. "No, it's not like that. I mean, I want you to be happy and all, but…" he stuttered, not sure how to say it without making the scene more embarrassing. They were marching through the doors of the dining hall now, and in mere moments they were to be seated for their full-course meal. "It's just that you're a special person, and that's why big projects like this one, the modelling and auction of the Heart of Balacruf, a necklace with centuries of colourful history, I always ask only the best to approach it, and that's why I recommended you."

Candy nodded as the waiters put the guests in the assigned tables. Luckily for her and Leonard, they were at the same one. As the waiters pulled back the chairs for them, Candy sat down in an overly dramatic fashion, waving her dress back and placing her arms horizontally on her lap. "And why won't you recommend me? I may have been a rookie then, but I've modelled the most beautiful jewels for the most meticulous buyers. And I've always brought out the best of both myself and the jewel in these events. So if you have to choose a model, why wouldn't you choose me?" she haughtily retorted.

As dinner was served, the topic on everyone's lips was the auction, and how it would be the most successful event ever hosted. After all, with such a rare necklace, and such a beautiful model, what could possibly go wrong? Candy was well aware of the attention throughout the meal, and by dessert time, she received her fair share of well-wishes. "Make sure you rest up tonight, because tomorrow will be your big day."

But by nightfall, Candy was hardly in her suite. Making sure the halls were quiet and empty, she slipped into her street clothes and stepped into the nightlife. Knowing that there were casinos and bars on the other side of Altamira, she had the perfect place for a no-holds-barred party, away from all the functions and rules. The second she stepped into the bar, it was a totally different world, with DJ music replacing classical themes, lights of different colours flashing rather than plain brightness of a catwalk, and people dancing wildly everywhere instead of placing their attention on the model. Smirking, she went to the bar and ordered a beer. "Keep the change," she stated, slapping money on the counter.

The tall glass of cold liquid was placed onto the surface before her, and the brunette gulped it down in less than thirty seconds. "More," she demanded, slapping the bar. As glass after glass came, Candy started getting some attention from those around her. With all the young men flocking to her like bees to honey, Candy could not resist putting on her enticing side. "You ready for a real night out?" she teased.

The crowd nodded, some dizzily thanks to the amount of alcohol they consumed. Candy took that as her cue, and pulled herself to the dance floor. "Tonight, we're going to party!" she shouted, throwing her hands in the air, "I'm aiming to be the most popular girl here tonight, and anybody who offers me anything, will get time with me!"

Everyone around her cheered, and many reached for their wallets to get Candy's attention. The supermodel took it all in stride, downing beer after beer, and consuming some substances that weren't otherwise available in regular markets. Before long, the hours ticked past, and everybody in Candy's group dropped to the floor, passing out after arguably the wildest night they had in their entire lives.

* * *

And that's the first chapter. I know there isn't too many details on the actual crimes (yes, there will be 2 separate incidents) but some of these details are actually foreshadowing future moves. Please keep some of these things in mind next time!


	2. Two Deaths in One Night

I want to thank **Poet Bucky** and **I.K.A. Valian** for the reviews. Since they reviewed every chapter of my last fic, they'll be getting cameo appearances in this story. Bucky will make her appearance this chapter, while I.K.A. will show up later on.

I want to let everyone know that as a way to address comedy or humour in this fic (and to stick somewhat true to the sitcom nature of To Catch the Uncatchable) I will be including 4 running gags in this story that will mainly be for comic relief. They're not intended to take away the original mystery and crime themes of this story. Let's see if you can spot the 4 gags.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"So what do you think that was all about when we were here yesterday?" Genis asked as he gathered on the beach with his sister, Lloyd, and Colette. After being pushed onto his seat and seeing Gil get bowled over, the young half-elf was still apprehensive in returning to the beach. But nevertheless, Lloyd and Colette convinced him to come so they could finish enjoying what they started the day before.

And that's where Genis found himself, standing on the sand in his straw hat and two-toned trunks. "All I heard was that the guy running my dad over was a crazy fanatic over the supermodel, and it just so happened my dad was standing between the fan and his idol, so my dad got the brunt of that hit." Lloyd recalled. They decided to eat lunch before going to the beach, just to avoid anymore disasters, such as the fan running into them while they had their food. It was afternoon already, but there were still mountains of people there.

"You know, despite seeing what your dad went through, I kind of feel sorry for the supermodel too," Colette pointed out, "I know she said some mean things to your dad and Zelos, but you can't help but think she's under a lot of pressure. She's got the auction to do today, and when I came down I saw just how many people were gathered at the ball room. It mustn't be easy for her to face crowds like that, I know I can't."

"I'm glad you aren't choosing her career, Colette," Raine replied, crossing her arms, "I say she brought this pain upon herself. Nobody walks onto the beach flaunting their bodies like her. I was on the other side chasing you and I still managed to see it, so you tell me what to think." She remained unimpressed and not swayed by the events. "I'm going to relax now, so you guys play nicely and don't get into trouble." Since nobody else chose to come, Raine was assigned to be their supervisor, much to her dismay at going near the water again. But she chose to be a good sport and tagged along.

Just as the female half-elf flopped onto the lounge chair, a red-haired man in the ever-distinctive purple Speedo stepped up to them. "Gil told me he's busy today, and Sheena's supposedly having lunch with her so-called boyfriend," Zelos informed them, "So it looks like you'll be hanging out with me for the afternoon."

"So Zelos, I heard that you worked with my dad when you guys were still moles. He told me that you went in to save your sister, much like how he did it to help solve the case regarding my mom and later on to protect me," Lloyd described, "Dad mainly tried to keep an eye on me at home, when he's not doing his detective work, so what did you do outside of that to help balance your life?"

"Oh, I've spend my time in various places, hang out in certain bars, keeping my eye on suspicious activities," Zelos listed off, "But one thing I'm really good at is to pick up ladies and get their attention. Gil always heard me talking in code, but what he didn't know is that the code can also be used to get girls. You want me to teach you?"

Lloyd shook his head vehemently, and inched closer to Colette. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Lloyd stated, "I only have my eyes for one girl, and that's Colette Brunel. I'm sure you find the techniques useful, but I don't think I'll want them."

"Fine, I guess nobody appreciates what I do," Zelos sulked in an overly dramatic fashion. Turning to the youngest member of the group, he offered his technique to Genis. "See that girl over there in the red bikini? She doesn't seem interested in anyone around her, but watch how I turn her attention to me and make her putty in my hands."

Genis' eyebrows looked like they were launched into Derris Kharlan. "Her? Are you kidding? She looks more annoyed than anything else. She's lying down like that so nothing gets in her way. She wants to enjoy her time, and the last thing she wants is guys to go near her. No offense, Zelos, but just because I'm not even thirteen doesn't mean I'm clueless. Heck, I can hand her my belly button lint and she'd blow up instantly."

But Zelos was undeterred. Admonishing the young half-elf for underestimating his skills, he straightened out his pose and strutted to the young lady. Lloyd, Colette, and Genis could only look on as Zelos posed before the sunbather, flexed his muscles and said something inaudible to her. Within seconds, the redhead got sand kicked onto his feet and a water bottle to the face. And to add insult to injury, the young woman stood up and grabbed the waistband of Zelos' Speedo, stretching it like an elastic band and shot it right onto his waist. Zelos howled in pain as he hobbled away like a drunkard. Lloyd and Genis burst out in laughter while Colette covered her mouth in shock.

"So, whatever happened to Zelos the great chick magnet?" Lloyd teased. There was still water dripping from Zelos' face, and a sharp red line cutting across his waist from where the waistband snapped into him. "Did you use the wrong line on her or was she really not interested in you, meaning you're not a pick-up artist after all?"

"Well, the world is all about probabilities," Zelos replied, sounding more like he was about to drop dead rather than a lecturer, "When the probability is high, it means a pick up. When the probability is low, it means being rejected. It just so happened that the probability was low, so it was rejection. But on any other time, it's a pick up."

"You call that rejection? More like shot down, stomped down, and cut down to size!" Lloyd exclaimed, howling in laughter. Even Colette, who was holding onto him, couldn't help but break out a few chuckles of her own.

"Maybe you do require my belly button's help," Genis chortled, "Oh wait, I forgot: I clean my belly button every day, so you won't find anything there. Sorry, you're out of luck!" Genis laughed nonstop, slapping his knee with one hand while the other hand approached the deep, bowl-shaped depression on his gut. He then stuck a finger into the hole and wiggled it a few times just to taunt Zelos.

Zelos looked like he just sucked a lemon, while Genis turned his attention to the now-asleep Raine, thinking up of a dirty trick to play on her. As those two looked away, Lloyd and Colette had another quiet moment to themselves. "We don't require any pick up moves. As long as we have each other, I think we'll be alright," Colette told Lloyd.

"No, we don't," Lloyd replied, pulling her closer, "We're good the way we are." Their eyes met each other head on and their hands slowly held onto each other's bodies. Suddenly, everything on the beach was a blur as the two blocked out all distractions.

Lloyd brushed Colette's hair with one hand while holding Colette's waist with the other. As for the blonde, she placed one hand on Lloyd's back while the other wandered to the waistband of Lloyd's board shorts, the digits dancing on his abdominal muscles. They pulled their heads closer, their faces feeling each other's breathing. Their lips were about to contact when a sudden shout halted their actions. "Candy!"

The two teens gasped and released each other, almost falling down as they turned to the source of the voice. Indeed, the same supermodel they saw yesterday was at the beach, but there was something unusual about her. Instead of appearing in her trademark bikini and flirtatious strut, Candy was in street clothes, staggering about, and looking under the weather if not downright drunk. Her actions were not unnoticed by the tourists, who chose to keep her at arm's length rather than embracing her like last time.

Lloyd and Colette slowly inched forward, standing directly behind Zelos as they gauged his thoughts. Oddly enough, Zelos' body language didn't seem like he was angry. Rather, it felt more like the redhead was concerned for his former friend. The two teens had their eyes follow Zelos as he made a beeline for the brunette. "Candy, what did you do to yourself?" he could be heard muttering, taking long strides in the sand.

Lloyd and Colette looked on as Zelos approached Candy, a look of concern on his face as he tried gauging her condition. That only got an arm fling in return, almost hitting his wrist cast as Candy admonished him. Zelos then could be seen waving his arms and saying something loudly, but was inaudible to Lloyd and Colette. The two teens inched to the arguing pair, their focus solely on Zelos and Candy. Even Raine's screams from behind as Genis drenched her with cold seawater was drowned out as they tried to listen in. Something told them that there might be trouble brewing for Candy.

"I already told you. Just leave me alone!" Candy screamed, pointing at Zelos as the entire beach glanced at them. The former mole could only stare in shock as the young woman bolted from the beach, heading up the steps and straight for the hotel. Then, without warning, Zelos also took off, chasing after the supermodel and calling her name.

The eyes of Lloyd and Colette trained onto Zelos as he headed up the steps, not even bothering to grab anything he left on the beach. "Should we follow?" Colette asked.

Lloyd was about to mull over his options when a certain silver-haired half-elf boy ran into them, knocking all three into the sand. As they writhed and twisted to get loose, a very angry Raine towered over them, her hands on her hips and a death glare aiming right at her brother. "What did I say about splashing me?" she seethed.

"Guys, you got to help me! Raine wants to kill me! Stall for time while I run off, will you?" Genis begged, his hands quivering as he tried to stand.

Lloyd and Colette glanced up, and weighed their odds. Zelos was fast, meaning he could be hard to catch, but unless they ran faster, Raine might just tie them along with Genis for the punishment. Nodding to each other, they pushed off of the ground and raced for the stairs, grabbing Zelos' belongings and leaving Genis alone. "Try using your belly button," Lloyd called, "If your belly button is really as special as you claimed, then it should be able to survive the Raine onslaught, we hope."

* * *

Candy barged through the parking lot of the hotel, breezing past both parked and moving cars and into the back door. She was already agitated from the hangover received after a wild party last night. Despite being fuzzy on the details, she recalled basically giving herself up to every man that satisfied her, and got them to spend quite a lot on her, with drinks and other substances in return. Now, with a modelling project this afternoon and Zelos spotting her on the beach, she realized the troubles were about to continue.

"Candy, wait!" Zelos could be heard calling. The supermodel turned just as she slipped through the door, and saw the all-too-familiar red-haired man rushing towards her. Growling, she tried to whip the door shut and prevent him from entering. The last thing she wanted was to get into another argument with Zelos.

But the former mole was too fast for her, as he managed to sneak a hand through the crack and whipped the door back open. "Candy, there you are. You didn't look too good on the beach, and I have some idea what the cause might be!" Zelos panted.

"Leave me alone!" Candy shouted, flinging her arm at Zelos again, "I don't want you to lecture me on what I can or can't do outside of my modelling time!"

But Zelos shook his head. "This is exactly what brought your downfall, and why Seles and I had to give you that warning. You think modelling has brought you such fame and fortune that you can discard all our friendship and the advice we used to give. You'd rather spend time in bars and hang out with total strangers, often giving them money and other goods just to 'have a good time' while your friends are worried sick about you. It's a selfish move and it's what drove you and Seles apart," Zelos bluntly pointed out.

"Selfish? You dare accuse me of being selfish?" Candy's volume at least doubled in response to Zelos' accusation, "You made Seles sacrifice her friendship with me, all because you didn't approve of my job. I'm happy with the way I am, the way that I get to go to all these places, and be with so many men, and be the centre of their attention. You could have been one of them, and maybe we could have become boyfriend girlfriend, and made Seles really happy as well. But because of your close-mindedness you forced us apart and made Seles miserable. So how dare you accuse me of being selfish?"

"It's not about happiness, Candy!" Zelos bellowed, his face as red as his hair, "I, as your friend, tried to warn you about the negative consequences of this lifestyle. What's your response? I'm enjoying it, I'm not too worried about what this will lead to, hang out with this guy, hang out with that guy, and what did you get? The only reason you go with them is because you can get a little more material goods or riches from them. You have no intention of becoming their friend while throwing Seles and me aside. Those men may be your toys, Candy, but Seles and I aren't!"

"But all I wanted was for you and Seles to accept me for who I am!" Candy retorted, her hands balling into fists, "You're right, every man out there will go out with me, and take me to dinner or the movies or on a short trip or whatever, but I want what we used to have. Seles was my friend for all these years, and I almost considered you as my unofficial boyfriend. I could have called any man I want and they'll all let me play them, but it means nothing without my true friends. Why did you take that away?"

"But have you considered how much pain you've caused to Seles and me when you started behaving in your mean-spirited ways?" Zelos challenged, "We were shocked, hurt, and angry when you changed. You sometimes yelled Seles all because she preferred something different than you, just to prove your superiority over her. When Cruxis targeted her, you didn't even call us to ask what happened or how she was doing. Is this the price to pay for being rich and famous? I may be a mole, but I know how to act ethically and responsibly, especially in front of my friends and colleagues. So from a moral, ethical, and principled standpoint, what have you done with our friendship?"

At this time, both sides were already seething mad, the two hyperventilating figures heaving their chests. Zelos raised his hands, trying to calm down. "If you're still not convinced, then you choose your next move. Keep being the unethical supermodel all you want, I don't care anymore. But let me say this: once our injuries are healed, Seles and I both plan to re-enter our regular lives. I'll go back to the Intelligence Bureau while Seles is returning to university. She'll be a sophomore this September, but there will be one major difference between this and her freshman year. She'll have one fewer friend, and all this is because you've become a person we can no longer accept. You've sold out our friendship for the catwalk and fancy jewellery, and I just hope it's worth it."

Just then, Candy's eyes flashed an expression that Zelos was not about to forget soon. Bordering on shock, anger, and betrayal, she burst through the staircase and into the passage leading to the main hall. Her footsteps echoed off the walls, signalling her arrival in a dramatic way. Zelos slowly followed, not even worried that he was about to enter the hotel lobby wearing only his Speedo. And as he pushed the doors open, he could see a slim, bespectacled man take Candy away. "We're about to start in an hour, and everyone is waiting for you. Why do you smell like alcohol? Have you been drinking…"

Zelos shook his head, realizing that Candy was never going to take his advice. He had tried so hard to reach out to her, but time and again she only had fame and fortune in her eyes, shielding her from reality and those who cared about her. Zelos was helpless as he thought about this, feeling even more powerless than any mission he had been sent on as a mole. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Lloyd and Colette had came up behind him with all his clothes. "Zelos?" Lloyd timidly greeted.

The former mole whipped around, a look of exasperation on his face. Lloyd and Colette could see pain in his eyes, as Zelos seemed like on the verge of breaking down. Realizing that it was best they left him alone for a while, Lloyd merely handed Zelos back his clothes. "You left this on the beach when you ran off," he meekly stated.

Sighing, Zelos pulled the clothing from Lloyd's hands Letting the shorts hang from his hands, Zelos put on the summer shirt and marched off, not even bothering to button up. Lloyd and Colette saw him in such a hurry to leave that he almost bowled over a short, teenage girl on her way out of the lobby. She had on dark shorts that ended at her knees, a light green tank top, and a blue bandana on her neck that was almost knocked off when Zelos' shoulder collided with hers. The young couple and the teen Zelos ran into looked on as the redhead entered a closing elevator and disappeared from the lobby.

* * *

"You know this is your big performance, so why did you go out drinking and partying hard last night?" Leonard scolded as he dragged Candy into the change room. Knowing that the auction was about to take place, they had to get Candy washed up, dried up, apply on the make-up and other accessories, and put on the necklace. And they had less than an hour to do it. It truly put the pressure on everyone to deliver, and the stress level was ever increasing within all members.

"What I do outside of modelling is none of your business, so quit hounding me like a nanny, alright?" Candy snapped, her head still spinning, "I'll just take a shower right now and everything will be fine. Can you get my clothes ready please?"

The sounds of water spraying soon filled the dressing room as Leonard picked out a dark nightgown. To a meticulous jewellery expert, dress colour was crucial in bringing out the special features of each jewel, and the Heart of Balacruf was no exception. But true beauty was represented only by Candy wearing the Heart of Balacruf, as together they brought out the true meaning of wearing such an amazing necklace. Leonard was looking through the pictures from the photo shoot last afternoon and he was mesmerized by the results. Jewel and model matched together creating an art form never seen before.

"You know, Leonard, I was originally in a good mood. I had a blast last night. Despite drinking so much, I actually felt more ready than ever to present at the auction," Candy called amidst the sounds of water splashing her body, "But thanks to someone I wasn't too keen on seeing again, I'm feeling terrible right now."

"Don't worry. I assure you that when you reach the stage later on, you'll be the centre of attention," Leonard replied, trying to calm Candy down. There was still anxiety from her voice, and the last thing everyone needed was a poor showing from her.

"Centre of attention? Is that all you care about?" Candy sounded out in shock, "I do care about the show, but did anyone in the show ever cared about me? How come it is that the people I don't want always hover around me like flies, and those that I do want are rejecting me? Tell me, Leonard, am I the centre of your attention?"

Just then, there was a knock at the door, which ultimately saved Leonard from sure disaster, as he had no ready answer for Candy. Knowing that she needed to be at her calmest, Leonard was sure to create more controversy by answering her. Taking long strides, the slim, bespectacled man opened the door and received the message. "Candy, we have to be escorted into the ball room with security. They say there might be some crazy fanatics rushing in, and protection is recommended for you!" he shouted.

Candy didn't respond. Instead, she merely opened the shower curtains and pulled on a towel. Leonard quickly gave her the nightgown while looking the opposite way, trying not to catch anything. There was complete silence as the supermodel stepped back into the bathroom to change. Leonard sat down on a nearby chair, his hands rubbing on each other nervously. It would be another tense few minutes before the brunette would reappear, fully dressed into the long, dark, flowing robe. "Well, you satisfied?" she rudely asked.

And as luck would have it, the make-up crew entered the room, saving Leonard from another possibly explosive situation. Again, Candy kept quiet while they worked on her face. While waiting for her, Leonard prepared the Heart of Balacruf while making a few calls to the outside staff. It would be ten or fifteen minutes later when he finally approached her with the necklace, holding it with gloved hands as the make-up crew finished their job. Leonard and Candy were all alone again as the security guard closed the door behind them. "You know, if it weren't for such a beautiful jewel, I wouldn't have come," Candy stated, her eyes trained on the reflection of the necklace in the mirror.

Leonard smiled as he put the necklace on her. The chain portion was made of pure gold with smaller diamonds and other precious minerals dotting each link, but the centre was a large topaz, its orange glow almost blinding the model and the jewellery expert. "It is a unique jewel that deserves to be worn by a unique person," Leonard explained, "And you've shown it in all your projects of the last few years. That's why, like I said before, I didn't hesitate in recommending you to model this at the auction today."

"And that's what I like about you Leonard," Candy whispered, her eyes still glued to the mirror, "You know the true beauty with all these jewels, and you know the true beauty in a model." Candy slowly stood up, turning her head to face Leonard directly. "Tell me. What do you define as the true beauty in me?" she asked, her hands seductively landing on Leonard's shoulder, a sly look on her face as she inched forward to him.

Leonard took a few steps backwards, trying to distance himself from Candy. He wasn't sure what the cause behind this was, but now was the most inappropriate time to discuss this matter. "I have to finish some last-minute work, excuse me," he stuttered, pulling the door open and slipping out. He ended up standing right between two security guards, who had their eyes on the opposite aisles. And every few seconds, he could hear a high-pitched scream. It wasn't a yell in pain; rather, it was more like an adrenaline rush, like a child on the amusement park roller coaster. "What's happening?" Leonard asked.

"We have an intruder in here, and according to our colleagues from the outside, it seems to be that same young man that tried to get to Candy at the beach," one guard answered, "Make sure Candy's safe. We'll escort you when we're clear."

Leonard shook his head, wondering how it was possible that someone would have that huge a crush on Candy, so much so that they'd test qualified security personnel just to get to her. It was evident that troubles were far from ending right now.

* * *

Finally, after a long shower, Zelos stepped out of his luxury suite. He didn't really clean his body, opting to just let the water run all over him, like he could wash away the troubles he had with Candy earlier. Dressed in a T-shirt, cargo shorts, and sneakers, the former mole marched out of the elevator and through the lobby, going back to the beach to pick up Lloyd and his friends. But instead of going through the front, he decided to exit from the back door and through the parking lot, which was closer to the beach.

As Zelos neared the door leading to the parking lot, he heard some commotion inside the ball room. "Isn't that where the auction is supposed to be held?" he murmured. Just as he reached the door handle, he could only see a short, stocky young man barging in his direction. The figure was like a linebacker blitzing the quarterback, and Zelos had to think fast to step out of the way. But as the young man whizzed by, Zelos recognized him. It's that Crocker guy who ran into us at the beach, he thought.

While Zelos was fortunate enough to dodge the young man running away and screaming in fear, the same could not be said for a certain short teenager wearing a green tank top, dark shorts and blue bandana. While she was merely shoulder-checked by Zelos when they collided earlier, this was reminiscent of the crash on Gil Irving the other day. Andrew and the teen were entangled on the ground, with the chubby young man trying to break free while the teen yelled in pain. Zelos could only shake his head, pulling himself through the door and away from the scene as bystanders looked on.

But Zelos couldn't take more than two or three steps into the exit, as he realized a strange object was motionless on the bottom of the stairways. He inched closer to see the entity and found that it resembled a person. Zelos guessed it was a female, probably rich due to the fancy night gown, and might be heading for a party. "Maybe she's attending the auction next door," he muttered, "But why is Andrew found running from here?"

Zelos crouched right before the body, suspecting that she might have been hurt. Years of military training and undercover work allowed Zelos to somewhat handle injured or even dead bodies. But still, just the thought of one appearing before him at this unexpected place did surprise him a bit. Nevertheless, he wanted to see what he could do to help. He poked the shoulder of the body, trying to get a response before proceeding to check on her injuries. "Hey, are you alright? Can you get up?" he asked.

There was no response, prompting Zelos to check for a pulse. He lifted the head a bit to fit his hand onto her neck when he received the shock of his life. "Candy?" he cried out, nearly dropping his hold. Indeed, looking at him with lifeless eyes and a face full of blood was the same supermodel he argued with less than an hour ago. There were cuts and bruises all over her face and shoulders, indicating major battering had been done to her body. Zelos gasped and breathed deeply, trying to contain the shock as he reached for her throat again. And without a doubt, there was no pulse, indicating that Candy had died.

"Oh my goodness, oh no," Zelos sputtered, looking around for help. Finding out that he was alone, he immediately whipped out his cell phone and called the police. "Yes, this is Zelos Wilder. I'm at my hotel right now and there's been a death here."

Within minutes, police taped off all areas, blocking off all access as they scoured the place. The ball room was closed so they could interview with each buyer and auction staff on anything they might have known regarding Candy before she came down. Even the dining room next door was taken over as diners were asked to cooperate with police. One diner was Sheena Fujibyashi, who was more surprised than anyone else on hearing the death. "I've heard about Candy from Zelos and Gil yesterday, but I didn't even know the auction was going on now, so I haven't seen her at all," Sheena explained, "Is it true that you're placing Zelos as the prime suspect right now?"

"We're not entirely sure yet, as the investigation is still in-progress. But we can tell you that your friend is the one who made the call to police," the officer replied.

"First of all, he's not exactly my friend yet, since we met only a couple of weeks ago. Secondly, despite I think he's a pervert, I doubt he did it. So are you sure there's no one else near Candy?" Sheena asked, a look of concern on her face.

However, Masako, who was having afternoon tea with Sheena when the police arrived, didn't seem too interested in the model's death. Rather, he was itching to get out of here and spend time with Sheena. "Why don't we meet again at my room tonight and finish catching up on old time?" he suggested, "It's obviously no fun to do it here with all the police presence and such. So are you up for it."

Sheena nodded, trying to focus on dealing with the issue with the police. Zelos also called Lloyd and friends to return to the hotel, saving them from being grounded by Raine after what Genis did to her. Raine refused to let anyone out of her sight, leaving Lloyd and Colette apprehensively staring into each other while Genis could only play with the sand and his belly button. But they were certainly not expecting to face a death in the stairway when they came back. "Zelos was out on the beach for maybe ten minutes before he saw Candy," Raine described, "I was too busy getting my brother to stop splashing me so I didn't notice what happened afterwards."

"We did see Zelos run into the back entrance with Candy, and we heard they had an argument," Colette added, "We couldn't hear too many details, but he said something about Zelos not accepting Candy because she sold out her friends. That's about it."

But the only person that seemed worried was Gil, who clopped into the crowd on his crutches. "Where's Zelos, can I talk to him?" he asked the officers around.

"Mr. Wilder will be returning with us to the police station, as he was the one who found the body. We have no other suspects so far," the officer responded, marching off with his colleagues. Gil could only stare in shock from outside the police tape. Has Zelos truly become a murderer? Had Candy drove Zelos so angry that he to resort to force?

* * *

"Officer, I assure you, I had nothing to do with her death. I have no motive of killing her, so why would I even think about that?" Zelos pleaded with the interrogation team at police headquarters. After being informed that he was the prime suspect, Zelos realized just how much trouble he was in. And knowing his rather colourful history with Candy, the police had every reason to believe that he might be behind the killing. "Look, I've served in the military, I protected the world from an angel invasion, and I won the highest award given to anyone of both nations, and now you're accusing me of murder? What kind of justice is this?" Zelos ranted frantically.

"Well, we could be totally wrong, and this case was a complete accident. But the security camera was pointing at the parking lot, not the stairs, so there's no evidence to show what really happened," the officer replied, scribbling on his notebook, "Until you're cleared as a suspect, we'll detain you for forty-eight hours. Besides, you have the skills capable of combat, so we can't rule out you using force, either."

"But I want to have nothing to do with her!" Zelos whined. It quickly became hopeless for the redhead, as police refused to eliminate him as a suspect. Racking his mind, he tried offering other suggestions to slide the blame away from him. "Andrew Crocker was also there. I saw him barge out of the stairs just before I found the body. He's a fanatic, right? That means he's crazy for her, right? Since he's nuts already, he could have done it. Plenty of crazy people will kill to get to their idols, you know."

"First off, young Andrew was not what you called crazy. He's obsessed with Miss Shallow, and he's a bit slow mentally, but it doesn't mean he's psychologically unstable," the officer explained, "Secondly, we still haven't located his whereabouts, so until we can bring him in for a formal interrogation, you're still the prime suspect. Third, your idea of the so-called 'crazy people committing murder' is also logically incorrect, as we had a guest lecturer at the station today. He presented data showing that normal people are much more likely to commit violent crimes such as murder than the 'crazy people'. So, if anything, it's logical to assume that you're the more likely suspect."

Zelos looked gut punched, as the officer's description officially took the sail out of his winds. "But I still have no reason to kill her. I've never even uttered a death threat in my life. And let's say I did commit the crime, then why would I call the police and wait until you arrive and be so cooperative? If I did it, I'd be running away right now."

"Again, courtesy of the guest lecturer, there is evidence showing certain suspects will do that. He presented five reasons. The first four are very technical that even I have some trouble understanding right now. But I can give you the fifth one, which is really simple. The suspect is stupid," the officer bluntly stated, putting his notes away.

As he was led away from the interrogation room, Zelos had one question. "Just who is this lecturer anyway? What qualifications does he have to make preposterous claims like that?" he demanded, angry and shocked at the revelations.

"Just like you, he's been undercover before," the officer responded, "Just like you, he's considered a world hero. And just like you, he has a cast. His name: Gilbert Irving."

"Gil, if I ever get out of this alive, I will kill you!" Zelos shouted. As he was led away, the interrogation officer cocked an eyebrow and reopened his notebook, writing in the bottom line of Zelos' interview, "tendency to utter death threats."

As Zelos was wheeled off to the holding area, Leonard Yancey was marched to the morgue where the coroner was waiting for him. "My name's Dr. Austin and I am the head coroner. We were about to examine Miss Shallow's body when we noticed that she still has the necklace on. We couldn't get it off so we called your company, so thank you for taking your time to come help us with it. Is there any reason why it's so tight?"

"It's due to the original design," Leonard replied as they entered the morgue, "In the heyday of the Balacruf Dynasty, the king at the time had the best jewellery designers in the country help him create the most amazing necklace history has ever seen. It was to be a gift to his wife, but there was one catch. The necklace must be very hard to remove from the neck. The intention is to have the necklace represent the love the king has for his queen, and that this love only belongs to the queen alone. And indeed, outside of these designers, no one knows how to have it removed once the queen has it on," he explained.

"So how does one get it off if no one knows how to work it? Do they just cut her head off?" Austin asked, handing Leonard rubber gloves while putting on a pair himself.

Leonard nodded. "A few years later, the queen was found to be in an affair with one of the top knights in their court. The king was furious and ordered the two executed, but he couldn't get the necklace off. The original designers couldn't reach the castle in time, so the king had the queen beheaded, asking the executioner to give the necklace back to him after the execution was over," Leonard explained, approaching the body.

Austin pulled the blanket off Candy, and Leonard's eyes flicked a bit, almost like they grew just a bit wider, before returning to their original positions. "And during the revolutionary times, the last king of Balacruf also gave the necklace to his queen, but she betrayed him by revealing the kingdom's secrets to the revolutionaries in exchange for their protection. But the revolutionaries double-crossed her after and executed her as well, with the necklace being taken off the exact same way," Leonard continued.

"So what is this, some kind of a curse?" Austin asked, "And how come you can get to her neck and pull it off? Is there a secret to removing it without beheading?"

"Shortly after Reunification, a group of scientists and engineers spent years studying this necklace, and found a way to get it removed. In fact, I'm using the fruits of their labour to take this off right now," Leonard responded, reaching into Candy's neck. With a gentle click and twist, the topaz necklace was off, much to the surprise of the heavyset coroner. Putting it into the evidence case, Leonard added, "It still didn't stop the deaths though, as there were still women from both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla wearing the necklace after and met similar fates with premature and sometimes mysterious deaths."

* * *

"Are you Miss Sheena Fujibyashi?" a tall man with neatly combed hair and a dark suit and tie approached Sheena as she stepped out of her luxury suite. Sheena had been in her room the whole evening after seeing Candy's death and Zelos being arrested. But she did promise Masako that she would visit tonight, so after a light dinner, she promptly got changed and headed out. Being stopped by this well-dressed man was surely unexpected.

"Yes, I am. You're the hotel manager, aren't you?" Sheena recognized the man before her. He was the one that she and Zelos spoke to when they requested two luxury suites instead of sharing a penthouse together. "Your name is Nate, right?"

"Nick, actually," the manager replied, "Nick Childress. I was downstairs with the police earlier, and I was informed that you will be visiting Masako Hirano tonight, yes? I prepared something special for your evening, some wine and other light snacks." He showed Sheena the cart behind him, littered with the food and beverages.

Sheena was surprised, since she never ordered the service. Perhaps Masako was the one behind this? Why would he bring so much up here just for an informal gathering to catch up on old times? "Thank you for the offer, I guess," she murmured as they went down the hall for Masako's room. "But delivery isn't the usual job for a manager, right?"

"Well, considering that you and Masako are such special guests, I thought I'd take over this time, just to be special," Childress replied, highlighting the word 'special.'

Sheena tried to avoid eye contact, knocking on the door and hoping her friend would let her in. There was something about Childress that really scared her. That was why she didn't even hesitate when Masako answered the door, charging in quickly and taking a seat on the couch while Masako addressed Childress. "Just leave it here if you have to, but we're having a quiet night to ourselves, so no disturbances!" he snapped.

Childress merely pushed the cart into the room, not making a sound as Masako shooed him out the door. Once Childress had left, Masako locked the door in frustration and sat next to Sheena. "You sure bolted in quickly, but seeing how our manager friend is on us like that, I would be just as annoyed. But don't worry, because while he makes all those near him uncomfortable, I'll make sure you have a great time," he assured Sheena.

Now Sheena was regretting entering the room that fast, as it spurred Masako into thinking she was desperate for him. "Now, Masako, let's get something straight. We are high school friends, and I did rush in here this quickly, but there's no need to do that."

"Oh, but I've waited for so long," Masako retorted, scooting closer and leaning his body onto her lap, "We've known each other well, so why not take the next step?" And as this was said, Masako pushed his head into Sheena's face and tried kissing her.

Sheena nearly screamed at the assault on her face. She pushed him off and ran behind the couch. "Masako, I thought Zelos was a pervert, but you're worse than he is. What's gotten into you? I thought we're just catching up on old times!" she exclaimed.

"Oh please, you should have expected something like this when you offered to come," Masako responded, grabbing Sheena's vest. He pulled as she tried to spin away, keeping the two in a tension-filled position. After a few more seconds of pulling, the garment was finally ripped and buttons were sent flying. That left Sheena in a spaghetti-strapped tank top. "Feisty, are you? That only makes me want you more!" he called, lunging at Sheena.

Sheena tried to escape, but the wine cart was in her way. As she tried to negotiate around it, Masako got to her and pulled her to the floor. "I always liked your involvement in your activities, but let's see if you'll be involved in something more," he hissed lustfully. His hands closed in on her chest, leaving Sheena squirming in fear. Thinking quickly, Sheena grabbed the first thing she got her hands on and swung it at Masako.

Luckily for Sheena, what she grabbed was the wine bottle, and it left Masako bruised in the forehead. While the Lezareno manager staggered in dizziness, it gave Sheena enough time to bolt out. She immediately charged back into her room and locked the door, panting and gasping in fear. "My goodness, Masako, what's gotten into you?" she stuttered. She frantically charged into the bathroom and stripped off all her clothes, entering the shower like she could clean Masako off of her mind.

She finally stepped out of the shower, Masako's attack still fresh on her mind. She slipped into her pyjamas and dove into her bed to sleep it off. Almost an hour had passed and she had little success, the image of Masako ripping off her vest and leaving her at her most exposed point still fresh in her mind. "Wait, my wallet and passport are in there. I better get that back."

With fear still in her mind, Sheena tiptoed her way down the hall again, flipping her cell phone open and close. She held it close to her in case Masako got testy again, just so she could call the police. But as that thought went through her mind, she spotted men and women in uniform surrounding the hall outside Masako's room. Childress was there with them, and upon seeing Sheena, pointed her out to an officer. "Are you Sheena Fujibyashi?" the officer asked as he approached her, "We've been told that you're the last visitor to this room. The guest staying here was reported dead, and we have reason to believe that you may be behind his death." With that, he slapped on some handcuffs to the Mizuho native.

* * *

And with that, Sheena and Zelos have both been arrested. Were they truly behind the crimes? How will Gil save them? And what new inspirations will Gil have to get the evidence needed to clear their names? Read on next time...


	3. The Investigation Begins

Thank you **Poet Bucky** and **I.K.A. Valian** for the reviews. So now we get to a chapter where it's the beginning of the investigation. Gil will be officially asked to join in with the police and help solve the cases. Watch for the weird senses of inspiration he gets for clues and how he makes breakthroughs by putting his friends in the way of public humiliation.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"Miss Sheena Fujibyashi, can you describe your relation to the deceased, Masako Hirano? What were you doing in his room tonight, how long did you stay, and when did you leave?" the interrogation officer asked Sheena. Being the only person in the room at the supposed time of death, Sheena was considered the prime suspect, and it didn't help an eye witness, hotel manager Nick Childress, pointed to her presence there at the time.

Of course, all this did not go well for Sheena, who had never been accused of breaking the law before, let alone be branded a murderer. She fretted with worry, her hands shaking and her lips quivering as she explained herself. "Masako's a high school friend, and I ran into him when I stayed at that hotel. It just so happens that we wanted to catch up on old times, and he invited me into his room after we were cut short when you guys showed up earlier this afternoon," she stuttered, beads of sweat glistening on her head from nervousness and the spotlight-like lamp shining at her from the desk.

"The afternoon incident involved Zelos Wilder, correct?" the officer replied, not looking up from the notebook, "Isn't he part of your party, and he's vacationing with you here? So looks like we have two murder suspects traveling with each other." The swishing sounds of the pencil scribbling on the pages didn't make Sheena feel better.

"No, I didn't kill anyone, honest," Sheena pleaded, the tough girl image that she so often portrayed melting away, "All I did was get Masako off of me after he acted like a pervert. He was even worse than Zelos by climbing onto my lap, and trying to kiss me, and ripping my vest. I grabbed the closest thing to me, which was the wine bottle, and I smacked him on the head with it. I then dropped the bottle and ran out, and that was it!"

"Miss Fujibyashi, saying you 'smacked' him means a significant amount of force was used," the officer interrupted, "Initial cause of death seems to be blunt force trauma, and so it would make you the murder suspect. Now, we could wait until the coroner…"

"Wait, don't say I smacked him," Sheena begged. The surrounding grey walls seemed to collapse in on her, making her feel small and weak. "Just say I 'tapped him lightly on the head' and that made him stagger off me, allowing me to make an escape. A slight tap couldn't kill him, right?" she squeaked, looking desperately for an agreement.

But there was no sympathy from the officer, who wanted to end the interview. "That depends on the force of your tap. Is there, by any chance, that you may have tapped him too hard, and killed him off?" the officer continued, staring with half-closed eyelids.

"What? You can't be serious! How can a slight tap to the head kill a person off?" Sheena shouted, shooting out of her chair, "He was still alive and moving at the time, so he can't possibly die off, right? Besides, it's self-defence. I was trying to prevent him from assaulting my body. You can't charge me for wanting to protect myself from harm, can you?" She stared eagerly at the officer, her hands pulling on her face in anxiety.

"It's self-defence if he was still alive after the hit, but now that he's dead, that's another story," the officer explained. Closing his notes, he nodded at his two colleagues near the door, who prepared to escort her away. "Since there isn't any other suspect, we'll be holding you for the next forty-eight hours. Please take Miss Fujibyashi to the cells."

"Hey, please don't put me in the same hold as Zelos Wilder!" Sheena exclaimed as she was led away. Her incoherent blubbering continued to echo through the hallways of the police station, so much that the interrogation officer had to massage his ears. Just then, Lieutenant Arnold stepped into the room, reporting that the halls were near empty.

"Two deaths in the same hotel on the same day, and there's barely anyone left to work them," the interrogation officer groaned, "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

Arnold shook his head. "These cases are very unusual, I'll tell you that. I think we may require extra help. Both could be just simple accidents, like Candy slipping down the stairs or Masako hit his head on something else after Sheena hit him. But both could also be real murders, with sinister motives from Zelos or Sheena or some other people. And it doesn't help that witnesses and evidence are limited, even as forensics are working the entire night shift just to collect everything," the lieutenant muttered.

"What do you recommend then?" the officer challenged, "The staff is stretched, the forensics team is working overtime, and there's pressure from both the auction and the hotel to let them have the jewel and room back. How can we deal with this quickly?"

Arnold looked up, a sly smile inching across his lips. "There's only one person I can think of that can help us, and he's right here in Altamira," he announced, "But first, how long do you think it'll take us to clear Gil Irving as a suspect in both crimes?"

* * *

"This is where you'll be staying tonight," Sheena was told as she was led into a holding cell. There was already someone in there, lying motionless on the bench in the corner. Sheena didn't need to see the face, but she had an idea who it was. Still, it didn't make her feel any better that she would bunk here for a while, especially with Zelos.

"Hey, can you not run off yet?" Sheena called as the officer locked the cell, "I don't feel comfortable here. Hey, come back here!" She waved her arm at the officer, to no avail. As the sounds of footsteps faded from the dark passage, Sheena was resigned to her fate. Sighing, she sat down at the other bench, her eyes to the floor. Choking with emotion, she covered her face and sobbed, "What will I do now?"

Sheena's whimpering was not unnoticed, as the originally thought to be sleeping figure slowly stirred and lifted his head. Sitting up properly, Zelos took a good look at his cellmate and immediately approached her. "Sheena, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Sheena gasped, shocked at the redhead inching so close to her. "Stay back, don't come any closer!" she yelled, getting into a defensive posture. She already had enough shock from Masako's advancements, and was in no mood to be dealing with sex maniacs.

Zelos slowed his movements, raising his hands to show he was harmless. "I just want to know if you're doing alright, and why you're here, that's all," he assured her. He tried to be sincere with his voice, and limiting his movements to make Sheena feel safer.

But that didn't make Sheena feel any better, as she crawled off the bench and moved to the bars. "I'm not supposed to be here, I'm just falsely accused. Besides, what do you know about making sure I'm alright, other than how my body looks in your sick romantic fantasies?" she snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Zelos.

Zelos sighed. "I do want to make sure you're alright, because I've been falsely accused as well. I never killed Candy, but right now I'm the prime suspect, and that's why I'm here." He looked at her with pleading eyes, hoping she would calm down.

Sheena seemed to have calmed down a bit, but was still distrusting of him. "You don't look like the type who commits murders, I admit, but it doesn't mean you won't want to take advantage of another woman while she's defenceless," Sheena replied with a death glare, "How do I know you didn't do that to Candy, and plan on doing it to me?"

"Why in the world would you think I would want to get myself in more trouble, Sheena?" Zelos demanded, frustration stemming from his voice. The dim lights from the hallway cast a mild spotlight onto Zelos, showing his position on the ground and looking helpless. "Look, I know you're stressed out and you're not thinking clearly, but hear me out. Not even two weeks ago they were still talking about us saving the world, and the newspapers tomorrow will state that the heroes are arrested for these crimes. I want to get out and clear my name, so do you think I'll let my hormones risk keeping me in here?"

Sheena took a deep breath. From Zelos' angle, the lights were to her back, making her an entire shadow as she pressed herself onto the bars. Slowly, she edged forward, her face emerging from the shadows and showing her still anxious expression. She timidly sat on her bench, still unsure of what to do. "I believe you didn't commit a crime," Zelos stated, "and I think you'll get out safely. But until then, we must support each other."

Sheena nodded, her face turning gloomy again as a flurry of thoughts blasted through her mind. What if there's no evidence to prove her innocence? Would they truly charge her? How much longer would they keep her in jail? "You've been involved with the police as a mole before," she asked meekly, "Do you think they'll get it right?"

Zelos shook his head. "Back then, I had files from the military that granted me immunity whenever I'm involved in my cases, so the army bailed me out if I got arrested. In fact, Gil had the same thing, and that's why he can take care of Lloyd even when he's in and out of the station," Zelos explained, "I'm no longer an active spy for the Intelligence Bureau right now, meaning the immunity is null and void. Looks like it'll take a true sleuth in order to get us out, and there's only one person who I think can do this."

* * *

"Dad, what's going on at the door?" Lloyd called as he stepped out of the room. There was a loud commotion at the hallway outside, and Lloyd didn't exactly appreciate the rude awakening. Still clad in only his underwear, he strode towards the door, which was left ajar as his crutches-holding father deliberated with a group of people.

"So you would have trouble negotiating up and down stairs, correct? And you just showed your balance would hinder you in swinging an object repeatedly," a man in uniform asked Gil as the former undercover police officer rebalanced himself on his crutches, "If that's the case, then I think we have no further questions for you."

Lloyd pulled the door open, looking confused as he scanned the hallway from the doorframe. His travelling companions were just as baffled as him, as they all observed the scene before them. Colette, Genis and Raine were all out in the hallway, still haven't changed out of their sleeping attires: Genis in only baggy blue boxers, Raine in a loose shirt and sweat pants, while Colette in pink pyjamas with matching top and bottom. "Do you guys know what's going on here?" Lloyd called from his position.

When all his friends merely shrugged, Gil turned around and faced Lloyd. Gil was up earlier than Lloyd, and had already gotten a chance to change into his regular clothes. "The police have asked me for information regarding two deaths yesterday. You know about the supermodel's death already, but last night Sheena's friend Masako was also found dead in his room. Since Zelos and Sheena are both being held, and they're both part of our group, the police wanted me to give them some information about them."

"And why did it look like you were swinging with your crutches earlier?" Raine asked, "And why were they asking you about going up and down stairs?"

But the commanding officer, Lieutenant Arnold, interrupted before Gil could explain. "We wanted Mr. Irving here to make sure everybody's stories are straight before we move forward. We've been collecting evidence all day yesterday and we require a lot of cooperation, so it's good that there's another cop here that understands what's going on. And besides, I'm sure you taxpaying citizens want to help too, right?" he winked.

Gil nodded, much to the puzzlement of his friends. "Can all of you help out the police by telling them where you were during the times of the two crimes, and what you were doing at the time? Lieutenant Arnold and I just want to have a chat first," he stated.

"At least let us get dressed first, right?" Genis retorted, looking down at his lack of clothing for his top. This sentiment was echoed by Lloyd, who promptly stepped back into the room and closed the door. As everyone ran off to get changed, Gil told the police to give his friends a few minutes while he and Arnold stepped off to the end of the hall.

"Now, as you know, these two cases are truly troublesome for us because the evidence we collected seem pretty limited so far. I admit, the forensics team still hasn't analyzed them completely yet. But by the looks of it, we don't think we can finish putting together the puzzle in forty-eight hours. If no others suspects show up, and the evidence is still inconclusive, your friends may be charged," Arnold quietly explained to Gil.

Gil sighed. The last thing he wanted was for Sheena and Zelos to be held like this. He didn't believe for a moment that Zelos would kill Candy, and although he didn't know Sheena quite well, doubted she would kill Masako. "So what's my role?" he asked.

"Since the circumstances surrounding the cases are so mysterious, we figured that you would be a great temporary addition to our force for the next few days. We're hoping you can help us keep an eye on things around here, and analyze what's going on in the hotel so we can do our investigation easier. Of course, I know you're on vacation, and you won't be an active member of Altamira police. But if you can do the little things for us, it'll really go a long way," Arnold offered, "So what do you say? Will you help us?"

Gil's eyes were cast downward, mulling over the suggestion. It would go a long way to helping Sheena and Zelos, but what dangers would he be leading Lloyd and his friends into? But then again, Lloyd showed his competence and mature thinking when Gil asked him to defeat Forcystus, so it was worth a shot. "I'll do it on one condition," Gil replied, "Anything my son and friends observe can also be fair game. I have faith in all of them in helping you with this case, so you should let them report anything they see."

Arnold nodded. "We'll just take it as any ordinary citizen's report, so you got yourself a deal," he decided, shaking hands with Gil, "But is there anything in particular that you want to see before you start? Maybe some evidence, location, whatever?"

"I'd like to take a look at Masako's room, if you don't mind. I know they've been collecting evidence all night last night, so I want to go take a look," Gil responded, "It's just downstairs, right? If your staff is still there, then I don't think I'll require an escort."

Arnold nodded and returned to the hotel rooms, leaving Gil by his lonesome. The Iselia police officer then entered a waiting elevator and pushed for the floor below. When he was still healthy, using the stairs would have been the preferred method for Gil, but the crutches and his still battered leg were not making it easy for him. As it arrived to the floor, Gil clopped his way to Masako's room, half expecting there would still be police tape on it. But when he got there, he couldn't believe his eyes. "What's going on?"

Through the open door, Gil could see janitorial staff cleaning out Masako's room, removing the bed linen, old clothing, and emptying out the garbage can. Custodians were all over the room as Gil looked on in shock. "Where's the police?" he demanded.

A middle-aged woman standing near the door stared at Gil in annoyance. "I don't know what you're talking about. Mr. Childress told us to clean the room for the next guest. There wasn't any police," she rudely retorted, "Anything else you want help with?"

"No, this is wrong," Gil murmured, clutching his head. The police couldn't have let the room be opened again after such a quick search, could they? "There was a death in this room last night, and the police must collect all the evidence. Now, if you wipe this place clean, then there's no way we can get to the bottom of this, and an innocent person may be harmed. You want to be held responsible for that?" he snapped.

"And who do you think you are?" the custodian retorted, her hands on her hips and her expression mimicking Gil's frustrated look. "You're not the police, I don't see any ID. Who are you to come barging in telling us what to do?"

Gil and the woman stared daggers into each other, causing the other cleaning staff to look on nervously. Despite his crutches, Gil was still an imposing figure, and the staff members were not keen on making him angry. Likewise, their team leader was also stubborn, and she wasn't about to let Gil run roughshod over them. The entire room was silent as eyes were cast towards them, realizing that an all-out battle was inevitable.

"Is there something I can help everyone with?" a voice asked from behind Gil. All eyes turned to the door as a man with neatly combed hair and dressed in a suit and tie had appeared before them. "I understand there seems to be some problem with this room?"

The custodial staff took the initiative and barged out to their manager. "This man here is telling us to stop the cleaning and wants to come in. He said there should be police here, but who is he to start saying all that? Why should we let some stranger in?"

But Gil had ammunition of his own, as he turned to Childress and jabbed a finger in his face. "There was a death here last night, and police are upstairs questioning my son and his friends. Now, unless you're telling me that the investigation is over, you've found the culprit, and everything's dandy, there's no logical way that you can convince me the room can be closed down. So what did you do with them?" he demanded.

"Actually, the forensics team told me they're done with their investigation, and all evidence has been collected," Childress calmly replied, "I don't know what other orders are coming from the police, and despite being a VIP here, you still can't just barge into another person's room. We'll save it for the next guest, and we kindly ask you to direct any info on this crime to Lieutenant Arnold," the manager ended with a smug grin.

Gil cursed under his breath, partially at the response Childress gave, but also at the forensics team's incompetence. "There's got to be a mistake," Gil muttered. Going back to the elevators, he angrily slapped the button for going up. In fact, he was so stuck in his thoughts that he didn't notice people exiting the elevator, and nearly ran them over.

"Gil, what's the hurry?" a female voice asked as the two people Gil nearly ran into caught him before they all lost balance. Gil lifted his head to see two figures with blond hair staring at him, looks of concern plastered on their faces.

"Frank, Phoebe, weren't you with the police upstairs?" Gil asked as they regained balance and moved away from the open elevator. "They're interrogating everyone right now about Masako's death and how Sheena seems to be involved. Did you tell them…"

"We were downstairs having breakfast and we only saw the police just earlier, when we went back to our rooms. They're still busy with other people, so we'll get our chance to speak with them later," Frank assured, "Why are you down here? Isn't this where Masako's room is? What's with the commotion when you were rushing in?"

Gil shook his head in frustration. "It's either the forensics team is a group of idiots, or the hotel manager just took the law into his own hands. The room where the death occurred has been shut down and they're cleaning it up. All they're saying is that the police are done with collecting evidence and they're cleaning the room to prepare it for the next guest. I'm going to have a word with Arnold about this!" he fumed.

Just as this was said, shuffling and a door opening could be heard just down the hall. Gil and the Brunel couple turned the corner to see the custodial staff enter the stairs and emptied their trash. "There could be evidence in there, how could they just throw it away?" Gil whispered. Turning to Frank, he beckoned and pushed him forward. "You're the archaeologist, right? So you start digging for the garbage bags and get me my stuff!"

Frank was about to protest, trying to prevent being pushed into the dumpster as the custodial staff returned to the room. Gil craned his neck to ensure that Childress and the others weren't looking. "Come on, they recognize my face, so I can't do anything odd without them noticing. This will have to be your mission." With one shove, he drove the blond-haired professor into the stairway. "Phoebe and I will keep watch, okay?"

As Frank dug through the trash, Childress moved down the hallway. He saw Gil and Phoebe standing awkwardly at the door and approached them. "Mr. Irving, I see you brought along a friend. Has she given her testimony to the police yet?" he asked.

"Well, we're about to do that, but we're just waiting for my, uh…ouch!" Phoebe yipped as Gil elbowed her, signalling not to give away too much. "The police are busy with other witnesses, so we'll go in a minute, yeah!" she concluded, rubbing herself.

Childress nodded, his eyes still fixed on the door behind them. "I do hope you don't stand so close to the door, since the custodians are emptying out some garbage from the rooms. I'm sure they won't be too pleased that someone may be disorganizing their trash. Is there a reason for you standing there?" he asked, craning to get a better view.

"Oh no, we're just curious as to what's going on, that's all," Gil replied, copying Childress and shifting his own way to block his view, "I mean, when I entered the room earlier, it's not that I want to harass your staff. It's just that Sheena's such a good friend of mine, and the police is working so hard, we don't want our taxpayers' money to go down the drain, right?" he responded, showing a smile that even he would puke at.

Childress tried the opposite direction, only to have Phoebe block his view. "We want to help police in any way we can," Gil continued, trying to divert Childress' eyes from the back, "They have rules, you have rules, everybody has rules. And all these rules make life so difficult for everyone, don't you think? You can't even take clothes, or some washroom accessories, or whatever without procedures like warrants, even when there's a death. Oh well, best to protect people's privacy, right?" Gil asked rhetorically.

Childress nodded. "Our hotel's policy is exactly like that. People's comfort and privacy come first. Now, unless you or the police have a warrant, then I strongly recommend that you do not disturb the staff when they're working. As the manager, I do reserve the right to have you removed should anything happens. But of course, knowing you're all responsible guests, I'm sure that won't happen?" he retorted, looking on eagerly.

Gil and Phoebe shook their heads vehemently. Phoebe continued assuring the manager that they meant no harm while Gil sneaked a peek backwards. Frank had three large garbage bags in his hands, and signalled to Gil that he had the targets. Gil then waved his head upwards, telling Frank to meet him upstairs. As the archaeologist took off, Childress chose to leave as well. "If there's nothing more you require, I think it's best for us to be on our ways," he stated, pivoting quickly and headed for the room.

Gil and Phoebe breathed a huge sigh of relief. Nodding to each other, they went back to the elevators and pressed for up. "Once you get to Frank, tell him to get the bags to my room. Then you can talk to the police while I sort things out," Gil instructed. It was less than an hour since Gil agreed to help and Gil was already having second thoughts.

* * *

"Tell me why I ever get talked into doing this," Gil muttered again as he made his way up the steps of the police station with Raine. After spending an hour or two in his room with his garbage, including having breakfast delivered to him, Gil managed to sort out all the items in the bags, and could safely hand it to police for evidence analysis. He originally wanted to go by himself, leaving Lloyd and friends with Raine as they headed for the amusement park. But when Raine heard that the precious and priceless Heart of Balacruf was with police, she couldn't help but make Gil let her tag along.

"It's an ancient artefact, and it deserved to be studied properly," Raine retorted, "I refuse to let some greedy auctioneer sell it off without letting a history expert get a good look at it first. Besides, Frank, Phoebe and Grandma don't have much to do today anyway, so they can take the others to the amusement park."

Gil shook his head, still amazed by Raine's determination. He was already having enough trouble carrying garbage bags while balancing on his crutches, but Raine was so keen on seeing the necklace that she was willing to take all three bags for Gil, just so he could quicken the pace. "Let's just hope the police are willing to play with you," he muttered.

As they entered the main unit, they saw a bespectacled man signing some papers sitting right next to the evidence case containing the Heart of Balacruf. Immediately, the female half-elf's eyes lit up, her body movement grinded to a halt as she stared at the case in admiration. Never in her life had she seen such a beautiful and precious jewel. "It's so amazing, and fascinating," she murmured, sounding like she was in a trance. Then, as if she had lost control of her body, she sprang for the necklace, trying to snatch it away.

That caught the eyes of the officer, who had to bear hug Raine to restrain her. "Who are you? What are you doing?" he demanded, signalling to the man to take cover.

"No, you have to let me see that necklace! It's too beautiful and important an artefact for me to give up!" Raine exclaimed, still lunging for it. Soon, the entire unit had their eyes set for the strange battle, not sure of how to react to it.

Finally, it took a certain goateed man on crutches to settle things down. "No need to worry, she's just a friend of mine wanting to help me out with your investigation," Gil assured everyone, "Raine, come on, we have to take this evidence to the forensics unit, and then I'll have to talk to Lieutenant Arnold. But if you really want to see the jewel, then I'm sure he wouldn't mind letting you hear about it, provided there's no touching."

"What? No touching? Are you serious? Gil, how can I examine the necklace if I can't touch it?" Raine complained. However, her whining would fall on deaf ears as the former undercover police officer hobbled off, with two officers holding the garbage bags following closely behind. Raine could only look on in exasperation, not wanting to part with the Heart of Balacruf. "He can't possibly know how much this means to me."

While police held firm and refused to let Raine go near the necklace, the man with the glasses slowly got back up and approached her. "I do understand how you feel, since this necklace is very unique. If you do want to know more about it, I'll be glad to share my knowledge about it with you while your friend talks with Lieutenant Arnold. I'm sure the police wouldn't mind, right?" he offered, a look of sympathy on his face.

Raine looked on eagerly like a child at the candy store window as the man assured the police that Raine meant no harm. As the officer slowly released his grip, Raine felt like she melted through the floor, her legs nearly jelly as she fluttered onto a nearby chair. Surrounding staff members returned to their work as the officer picked up the files from the desk and made his way to the lieutenant's office. "My name's Leonard Yancey," the man introduced himself, "What do you want to know about the Heart of Balacruf?"

"My name's Raine Sage and I'm currently finishing my Master's degree with Dr. Frank Brunel of Iselia. I've always been interested in history and artefacts, and I want to know more about this necklace," she stated, her eyes still on the evidence case.

As Raine listened to Leonard's stories, Gil entered the lieutenant's office. Arnold had just returned from the hotel after questioning all members of Gil's travelling party, and received more information from the forensics unit since. "So you gave us three more bags? That'll mean OT for those guys. Are you paying for their lunch?" he joked.

Gil smiled as he slowly eased himself into a chair. "I have to protest your decision to close down that room so quickly. There's no way evidence collecting took one night only, especially with a case under such mysterious circumstances," Gil scolded Arnold, "Good thing my friend went through the garbage bags, or you may overlook something. But let's talk about you guys. What important pieces of evidence did you analyze so far?"

"We had a loose vest that Sheena supposedly said she wore, and it did have some buttons torn off. It could be that she removed it to make herself more mobile in killing the deceased, or it could back up her story that it was the deceased who ripped it off of her. I think it'll be crucial to determine what really went on." Arnold described.

Gil nodded. "What about Zelos' case? Have you found anything in the stairs or on the necklace that gives you any leads to her death?" he asked.

Arnold shook his head. "The supermodel case is as confusing as ever. There's still the possibility that the entire thing is an accident, and with the auction crew sending Leonard Yancey to pressure us, it's not making our lives any easier," he stated.

"Are Sheena and Zelos around? I want to speak to them," Gil requested. Knowing that they were the only people around during the deaths, Gil had a feeling that somewhere in their testimonies might be clues leading to the truth.

* * *

"Wow, I never knew there was so much history behind you. If you didn't tell me about this, I would have thought you were just some sex-crazed pervert that only cares about scantily-dressed woman," Sheena murmured. Sheena and Zelos had relatively little rest the night before, and ended up only getting short periods of shut-eye here and there. Since waking up at the crack of dawn, the two had nothing to do and started discussing their life histories, with Zelos going first. And as he told his anecdotes, Sheena couldn't help but listen on in amazement at how Zelos' life was different than she had imagined.

"It's true that I'm very interested in women, and it's true that I've had my fair share of so-called one-night stands during my mole career, but everything I've said is also true," Zelos concluded, "I did it all for my sister, and now, to be connected to the death of her former best friend, I almost feel a sense of irony." His head was in downward position, with his red hair mangled and loose. Neither one of them had a great night, but it was their heartfelt conversations to each other that kept them in it. "You had some pretty sobering stories too, having to live through the Volt incident."

Sheena's head copied Zelos, staring solemnly at the ground. "I had to grow up in a hurry, I'll give you that. My family had always been involved in researching the lost art of summoning. When we had that breakthrough by harnessing electrical energy from Volt with Mark and Kuchinawa's parents, Grandpa was part of the group tried to work with the summon spirit, only to have a lightning storm kill off most of the people. So you can imagine why Kuchinawa turned to a life on the streets afterwards, even though Mark promised him he'd go back with his foster family to adopt him later on."

"So I guess there's a family member that we were both fighting for throughout our lives. You had your Grandpa, and I had Seles," Zelos replied, "I don't know how much good they'll do for our situation. We're still considered the prime suspects in our respective cases, and in about thirty-six hours, they'll tell us what they want to do with us." Zelos sighed, holding his head and fearing the possibility of not being able to see Seles again. She was freed from a Cruxis prison weeks ago after spending years captured, only to have him enter a police prison for a crime he didn't commit.

Sheena put a hand on Zelos' shoulder. "I personally don't think you did it. You tolerated much harsher conditions than Candy's hurtful words, so I doubt you unleashed your anger on her by shoving her down a flight of stairs. I just hope they can say the same about me on Masako, since all I did was wave a wine bottle in his face after he tried to assault me. But the evidence is stacked higher against me, and I'm not sure what will happen," Sheena explained, some emotion choking on her throat with her last few words.

Zelos chuckled. "I heard from the military that you were involved in that prisoner exchange with Cruxis. You were in that group, so I thought you may have experience in dangerous situations. I guess it's different than being accused of murder, right?"

"Back then, it was the military who designed everything, and all I had to do was show up. They guaranteed that I'll be alright, and that I didn't have to do anything weird. Here, I'm the one being accused, and there's no guarantee that I'll get out safely, so what more can I say?" Sheena replied, her body slouching down again.

Just then, an officer approached the cell. "You two have a visitor," Sheena and Zelos heard him call, followed by a distinctive clopping from the hallway. The officer stepped aside, showing a tall figure with a familiar goateed face.

Immediately, Sheena charged for the bars. "Gil, you got to get us out of here. We had nothing to do with those crimes!" she shouted, reaching for Gil.

"Yeah, consider it helping a fellow mole, will you?" Zelos chimed in, moving to the front as well. "Besides, I'm not too happy that you filled those cops' minds with that psychological crap earlier, so if anything, I'm here because of your words."

"Hey, it's not crap. It's been scientifically proven before that these methods has been and continue to be working in contemporary police units," Gil responded, "I'm doing everything I can to prove your innocence, but you two must tell me your sides of your stories. Tell me what you saw at each crime scene, when you got there, what you intended to do there, and what happened just before you left."

Sheena started off with her story first, explaining the events from the afternoon, when Masako invited her for tea. She described that they were interrupted when police had to investigate Candy's death, and Masako offered to bring her to his room. "Then when I was in there, he started making moves on me, so I hit him with the wine bottle."

"And you said it was the hotel manager who delivered the wine bottle, and it's because of this that he could point to your presence," Gil confirmed, figuring that it might be in his best interests to check Childress' records just to make sure. "Alright, I think I know what to do with you. And Zelos, what about your case?"

Zelos described events from his argument with Candy in the parking lot onward. "I saw her get taken away by the auction staff, so I just went back to my room and took a long shower. I changed into my street clothes and came back down about half an hour later. I was going back to the beach via the parking lot when I saw that stalker run out from the stairs. I stepped into the staircase and found her body, and then I called police."

Gil mulled over the information. Surely there was someone in the lobby that saw Zelos there and could prove his innocence, right? Just as he was about to ask another question, he heard a unique wailing from the end of the hall. Feeling it sounded familiar, he hobbled his way to the interrogation room when the very person Zelos spoke of could be seen griping at police. "I didn't do it, please stop yelling at me!" Andrew cried.

Gil grabbed a nearby officer and asked what was going on. Apparently, the police finally located Andrew Crocker and planned to interrogate him on the events. But with the young man's below average mind, it was almost like talking to a whiney child. "Can you let me handle this? I think I have a way to get him to talk," Gil suggested.

Before anyone realized it, Gil pushed the door open and dragged himself to the table. "Hey, Andrew," he greeted, "Remember me? I'm Gil, the guy from the beach."

Seeing Gil's face only caused Andrew to freak out more. "No, don't yell at me! I didn't mean it to run over your on the beach! Leave me alone!" Andrew yelped, raising his hands to cover his face and cowering in fear. Beside him, the officers were at a loss.

But Gil was surprisingly calm in handling this. "Sshhh, it's okay, I'm not going to yell at you. I'm a police officer too, have you ever seen cops yell at regular citizens?" Gil asked soothingly, "I don't even yell at my own son, so of course I'll be nice. Now that being said, the police do want your help, and only you can give us what we want. So if you're good, I'll guide you through the process and make sure you get out quickly, fair?"

Andrew meekly nodded. Gil looked at the interrogation officers, signalling to prepare writing in their notebooks. "Now, from the time you entered the hotel yesterday afternoon, to the time you ran out, can you tell me exactly what happened?" he asked.

* * *

"So you gathered quite a lot of evidence today," Raine observed. Both spent quite some time at the police station hearing different stories; Raine on the Heart of Balacruf, and Gil on his cases. And after a quick lunch at a local café, they returned to the hotel.

"You seem to have taken a liking to that Leonard guy," Gil pointed out as they entered the front doors, "He seems pretty knowledgeable about that necklace, and it just so happens we have a history buff willing to listen in. So what'd you find out?"

"I really learned a lot about the necklace and its surrounding history. It's really fascinating, you know?" Raine replied, "But really, there's nothing between Leonard and me. I'm a keen learner and he's a willing lecturer, so we both benefited at the station."

Gil smiled. "Well, if you're going back to your room, then I'll just stick around at the lobby. I got to type up that info as well," he stated, sliding into a nearby chair. Having worked as a mole for ten years, Gil also developed quite a good memory, as he still had most of the details from Sheena, Zelos, the forensics unit, and even Andrew etched into his mind. Now, after some food for energy and a quiet afternoon, he could truly analyze the situation for real, and get a better understanding of what happened to his friends.

It didn't take long for Gil to be absorbed in the details, as his ideas poured all over his laptop screen. For starters, he learned that Zelos was about to enter the staircase just as Andrew Crocker blasted out, nearly bowling him over when he noticed the body. Prior to that, Zelos claimed to be in his room the entire time. Andrew's story was that he wanted to see Candy again, and to apologize to her for the commotion he caused at the beach the day before. "That means he may not be a killer either, because he obviously won't push his own idol off the stairs, especially when he's apologizing, right?"

As for the Masako case, Gil realized that Sheena entered the room at the same time Childress delivered the wine, meaning Childress' eye accounts were believable. But the question was: what happened in the so-called battle? "There are loose buttons in the garbage bags, and Sheena's vest is missing buttons. So how did they come off?"

Gil was so wrapped up in his case that he didn't even notice two figures approach him. A gentle clearing of the throat caused Gil to snap his attention away from the screen and lift his head. Standing before him was a tall, muscular man with marine-coloured hair and a shorter, grey-haired man with a moustache and wearing a cardigan. "Regal, what brings you and George here?" Gil greeted the two members of the Lezareno Company.

"We heard about the deaths at the hotel recently and we're seeing if everyone is doing alright," Regal answered, "I'm pretty worried about it too, since Zelos has really got me involved in the Cruxis affair, with Altessa and all that. And Masako is a new manager at my company, meaning…"

Gil wasn't really paying attention to Regal's speech anymore; rather, his eyes were on George's cardigan vest, and the number of buttons going up the centre. Sheena had a vest almost identical to that at the crime scene, Gil thought, so what if I could try something new? Turning to Regal, he interrupted the CEO and asked George for help. "George, can you button your vest tightly and stand up straight?" Gil requested.

The older man stared at Gil with a puzzled expression. But nonetheless, he heeded to Gil and did up the cardigan. Regal looked on as Gil struggled to his feet without his crutches and hopped his way towards George. Then, without warning, the goateed man lunged at George, grabbed the cardigan by the middle and violently shook George. All the Lezareno CEO could see was the flailing of limbs and shaking of bodies as Gil shook George like a money tree. "Gil, stop! What are you doing?" Regal wailed.

And as suddenly as it began, it ended with both men tumbling backwards. Gil flopped onto his chair, losing balance after operating with no crutches while George stumbled back a few steps. "Mr. Irving, I protest this rough treatment!" he scolded.

But Gil ignored the Lezareno head advisor. "So it obviously takes a lot more force or shaking to get it off," he murmured, staring at the still-intact cardigan. Turning to the muscle-strapped man, he told Regal to take over in shaking George. "And get the refusal look out of your face," Gil ordered, "You said you owed me big after I helped you find and heal Presea, so you can pay me back by doing this."

Regal looked around nervously. Already passing tourists were staring at them like a circus show. Mouthing "forgive me" to George, Regal mimicked Gil's earlier actions and violently shook his assistant. With Regal's bulging biceps and triceps, George got the ride of a lifetime. As he was thrown about like a rag doll, a circular object broke free from his chest and rolled to the floor. "Stop," Gil called, lifting one of his crutches and pointing it at the floor. "We used all that strength and time, but it finally broke loose."

Regal and George looked on as Gil pushed the button towards them with his crutch. "So that means there was a battle in that room, and the button did go loose. In this case, Sheena may be telling the truth," Gil concluded, "We must look at other people that may have accessed Masako's room. Do you know if he has other friends, Regal?"

Regal mulled over the question while George glared at Gil in anger. "Masako does do something that I'm not too fond of, but given he has no real residence, I usually let it go," Regal recalled, "He would let his clients go into his hotel room to talk about new or continuing deals. Recently, he's been following up on three ladies, all of whom have investigated large sums into his programs. Would you care to see the files?"

* * *

Just want to tell Bucky and I.K.A. that because I'm throwing my readers on a loop, your cameos won't appear again for a little while. I'll try to make I.K.A. debut next chapter and put you guys on hiatus, before you show up again later on. Thanks for reading!


	4. A Button, a Bead, and a Dog

I want to thank **Poet Bucky** and **I.K.A. Valian** for the reviews and all the advice and pointers you gave for this chapter. It's been a tough week for me and I'm really glad you guys pulled me through it. In fact, you're the sole reason why this chapter is up tonight rather than later on.

On this note, I want to dedicate this chapter to a co-worker of mine, who passed away last week. Clarence had been a tremendous person, as he did site maintenance at my workplace. Without his hard work, there's no way my workplace would run in such top shape. So this one is for you, my friend; RIP Clarence, RIP.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"This is Masako Hirano's office, or least it used to be," Regal showed Gil. Gil glanced around at the surroundings, and figured that Masako was a man of high society and taste. On the walls were pictures of beautiful scenery from Mizuho and other exotic places. There was fancy furniture, a large desk, executive's chair, and newest computer model, prompting Gil to conclude that Masako must have made a lot in one pay cheque.

"And this is where the files are," Regal showed Gil a few folders while starting up the computer, "Masako's the new manager to the warranty and insurance department, so he's only had a few cases for the time he's been here. Three cases, to be exact."

Gil slowly lowered himself to a seat while flipping the first file open. "What type of warranties do you sell with your products anyway?" he asked in curiosity.

"As you know, mana-based products often mean instabilities, mainly because the use of mana is rare since after Reunification times. Our technologies emphasize safe, responsible use of mana beneficial to everyday health and conveniences," Regal explained, clicking on certain files, "When we market any of our researched products, we often provide some warranty or insurance that the product will be safe and can be backed up whenever it will fail, and that's the unit Masako is in charge of since his hiring two weeks ago."

Gil nodded nonchalantly, flipping a page as he read on. But the second he got to the first line of the next page, his expression changed completely. "What on earth? You must be joking!" he exclaimed, his eyes growing to the size of saucers, "This woman paid a five-digit amount for a warranty on machines that keep her legs in shape. Who does she think she is, the captain of Altamira's female soccer team?"

"That would be Mrs. Simon, a dance enthusiast," Regal replied, typing her data into the screen, "I have her file here, and it says she's an expert on many styles of dance. She frequently shows up to balls and parties in higher social circles, and her amazing dance skills often make her centre of attention. Besides, her husband is the owner of a chain of department stores across Tethe'alla, so she's got quite a fortune herself."

Gil shook his head in disgust, skimming through the information for a few more minutes before slapping it shut. Moving to the second one, he scanned the front pages and got the same response. "Are you kidding? This one here paid a five-digit amount for a warranty on a mana-based washing machine!" Gil called out, nearly dropping the file.

"That would be Mrs. Murdoch, one of Altamira's assistant district attorneys," Regal informed Gil, again scanning her corresponding information on the computer, "She often appears in court wearing very fancy and expensive clothing, and she wants to keep those in good shape. That's why she ordered the mana washer to clean them more effectively."

Again, Gil shook his head, wondering why anyone would want to waste their riches on these warranties and insurances. Opening the last file, he hoped that it would be someone normal, but instead, it nearly gave him a heart attack. "A dog? She bought a five-digit warranty on machines that give luxury to her dog?" Gil sputtered.

"Mrs. Chalmers, general animal lover and co-founder of a pet store chain with her husband," Regal answered, not even bothering to look up, "She claims that her dog is her favourite pet out of all her exotic animals and is an active member of a high class dog club. She even had some machines custom made to give her animals comfort and care."

Gil threw his head back, leaning against the back of the couch and staring into the ceiling. How so many high class individuals could spend so much money on such trivial things was beyond him. Yet because of this, all three could be suspects, since any of them could stop contributing and force Masako out of business. "If we assume they planned to continue investing in the warranties for more stuff in future years, we're talking about six digits per person. That may lead to over a million with these three alone," Gil muttered.

Regal nodded, shutting down the computer. "We're constantly trying to expand, and the warranties and insurances area is one that we require the most help on. That's why we hired Masako as its manager, because we believe he has what it takes to gain more clients, and he showed it with these three. Is there anything else you would like to see?"

Gil lifted his head up, the files falling off of his body as he grabbed his crutches. "No thanks, I got what I want here. I just want one of you to go with me tomorrow to talk to that district attorney, but I'll be fine with everyone else," he informed Regal.

"I have a meeting with the Board of Directors tomorrow, so I can't make it. But, if you promise not to turn George into a human milkshake, I'm sure he'll be more than willing to tag along," Regal responded as they got up to leave. Gil only nodded at Regal's proposal, wondering what move to employ next as he returned to the hotel to prepare for more roadblocks ahead in this increasingly complicated case.

* * *

Gil waved goodbye to Regal as he entered the front doors of the hotel. His watch and a glance at the reddening sky told him that afternoon was giving way to evening, and that his friends would be having dinner soon. Gil stepped into the dining hall, leaning on the doorframe and tried looking for Lloyd and the others. To his surprise, none of them were there. "Is it too early? Maybe they booked a reservation for tonight," he mumbled.

Gil clopped his way to the greeter at the entrance where he lined up behind some other guests. But before he could inquire where his friends and son were, he was stopped by a familiar man in a dark suit and tie. "How can I help you, Mr. Irving?" he asked, approaching Gil from the right.

Gil turned around and saw Childress standing before him. "Wow, you're really amazing, how did you know I was here?" Gil responded with a fake charming smile, "I'm hoping to find out whether my group has booked dinner here tonight. Maybe they decided to eat out and forgot to let me know where they were going."

"Actually, your group told me that they'll be taking in room service, and I'm going to check on their orders just now," Childress responded with stiff formality and a façade of sincerity.

Gil nodded in thanks, but his eyes were locked onto Childress' order form. "May I ask what they ordered, just so I know what to expect when I go back up?" he asked, "And can you tell me especially whether alcohol has been ordered? You do realize that my son is underage, but with a girlfriend next door, he may do something, you know, crazy," Gil requested, putting extra emphasis on the word crazy as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"I assure you that no alcohol has been ordered," Childress replied, glancing at the list, "As for everyone else, they…" As Childress named each item, Gil turned his attention over Childress' left shoulder at the bar where all the alcohol was stored. Bottles of wine lined the ceiling-high racks with a large wooden beer keg placed in the centre like a neon sign, attracting alcoholics and casual drinkers alike. But there was something not right about the way alcohol was managed, and Gil was intent to find out why.

"And that's what everybody ordered. Now, if you would like me to place your order…Mr. Irving?" Childress looked up only to see Gil clopping past him and to the direction of the bar, where a bartender with tan skin and dark curly hair blended in with the kegs. Had it not been for his bright tropical shirt, the Iselia police officer might have missed him. Stuffing the list into his pocket, Childress hurried to the bar after Gil.

"Yes, I'm the head bartender, and I'm in charge of all alcoholic beverages. All orders from both the dining hall and room service go through me," the bartender informed Gil. He was a young man with an easy smile and a warm friendly attitude.

Childress' eyes narrowed to darts as Gil asked how orders for alcoholic beverages were made, and to which the bartender promptly replied, "All orders are recorded in a log book. It's then sent to the back where the other bar staff will prepare the beverage for guests. They'll then be delivered to each table by the waiters or to each room by porters and caterers. In fact, even staff members who consume alcohol here must have their orders and payments recorded too. May I know why you're asking?"

Gil looked to his left and received Childress' distrusting death glare. Keeping a straight face, he ignored Childress and responded, "Well, my son and his girlfriend are both underage, and I'm just worried about how they may bend the rules a bit. I'm not saying they will, but as a parent, I believe I'm justified being a bit concerned. I'm sure you don't have children yet, so you may have trouble understanding."

The bartender nodded with a grin. "None yet, but I'm not too surprised since I receive these kinds of inquiries fairly often. While you're here, can I get you anything?"

Gil shook his head and thanked the bartender. Turning to Childress, he then asked, "Surely a mature individual like you will understand. You do have kids, right?"

Now it was Childress who received the death glare. "No, Mr. Irving, I don't have any children. But I assure you, should your son break the rules behind your back, I'll make sure you're the first to know. In fact, our hotel security has its eyes peeled on any danger or hazard to our guests, and does its best to guarantee safety." It was increasingly obvious from the suddenly frigid air that Gil was outstaying his welcome here.

"Really? What a coincidence, because none of those security measures worked when the two deaths happened here. Strange, don't you think?" Gil retorted with a somewhat mocking tone. For a second, he thought he saw Childress shrink his shoulders, and sensed a feeling of vulnerability within the usually unflappable hotel manager. "Well, I'm done here. Just send our food up, and all's good." With that, he clopped off, leaving a flustered Childress and surprised bartender in his wake.

* * *

"Gil, this is the assistant district attorney's office. Why did you take me with you?" Lynn asked nervously. It was early next morning and Gil hoped to speak with his first target before she arrived. Along with George, who showed up with the warranty files as promised, Gil chose to have Lynn Sage come, which made the elderly woman's hair even greyer. "What should I say?" she asked as they sat on the chairs facing the desk.

"Lynn, remember all the times you spoke to me about how I should deal with my problems when I was undercover, even though you didn't know I was a mole? Well, we'll be talking to a top-notch lawyer here, and I'll need those top-notch communication skills to deal with her," Gil responded, facing her and clasping her shoulder reassuringly.

Seconds later, a wall of intimidation and authority brushed passed the seated threesome. With a flourish of cloth, the woman's coat was on the coat rack standing in the corner of the room. "My assistant tells me that you showed up without an appointment," she stated briskly, her face fiercer than any monster from before Reunification. She filed through the papers in a yellow tray set on the corner of her desk, not even bothering to look up as she continued, "I'm a very busy woman. I don't have time for trivial matters, so if you don't mind, make this quick."

"Mrs. Murdoch, my name is George and I'm with the Lezareno Company," the moustachioed man on Gil's right began, "We have files on warranties you purchased from us. Regarding the agent that sold them to you, we would just like to know…"

"If you're talking about Masako Hirano, then I say don't bother," Murdoch rudely replied. She slapped the power button on her computer, causing it to whir to life. "It's true I bought several warranty packages from him for my mana clothes washer, but now that he's dead I'm not interested in any future contracts with Lezareno. I am sorry for Lezareno's loss, but it's time to move on. Now, if that is all this impromptu and pointless meeting was for, then I would ask you to please leave. I have a lot of work to do, and I don't have any time to waste. Next time you want to discuss this, a memo would do."

"Mrs. Murdoch, that's not what we're trying to do …" George stuttered, trailing off pathetically. Gil leaned back and observed the situation, noting how quickly the swift-talking lawyer had cut George down to size. The room was totally silent as Murdoch carved her name on a document. With George at a loss for words, Gil turned to his left and tapped Lynn to back him up.

Lynn took a deep breath to gather her courage before chiming in. "Mrs. Murdoch, perhaps there's a better way to handle this. It's obvious that you are very trusting of Masako, and your confidence in Lezareno has dwindled since his death…" While the two elderly folks dealt with the assistant district attorney, Gil scanned around the room, looking for anything that might resemble the list of items he found in those garbage bags. For some reason, his eyes kept keying in on the expensive jacket on the rack. Turning back to his now on laptop, Gil opened the evidence file and scrolled through the list he compiled, looking for anything that rang a bell.

"Stop," Murdoch raised a hand up to Lynn, stopping her mid-sentence. As she shoved the sheet into the trays, she turned her X-ray like piercing eyes to Lynn. "Who are you? Are you even an employee of Lezareno? Are you authorized to speak for them? Who are you to butt into my business with Lezareno?" Murdoch demanded. Lynn pressed her back into the chair, caught off guard by the sudden frontal assault. The lawyer's studious glare and barrage of harsh questions slammed into Lynn like a brick.

Gil winced, sickened by the tongue lashing Lynn received from a supposedly well-educated woman. Accessing his email, Gil sent a quick request to Arnold and the forensics unit, who promised him he had priority over other emails today. Meanwhile, they must stall for time, something they were quickly running out of. "If there's no more to discuss, please leave my office," Murdoch ordered in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Gil's eyes darted around the room like a mouse at night, searching frantically for anything he could use to stall. Settling on the jacket, he found the perfect issue. "I must hand it to you. You have great taste in clothing. This jacket you have there seems to be a very expensive, and possibly rare model, is it not?" he asked, waving at the coat rack.

A smirk lined itself on Murdoch's lips. "Good eye. In fact, this jacket is a rare limited edition that I acquired at a high-end, members-only sale at Altamira's most expensive clothing store last week. I also added custom upgrades to it, so in total it costs over five thousand dollars," the assistant district attorney boasted.

"Very nice, and definitely better than the rags we're wearing," Gil responded, looking at his companions with a not-so-critical eye, "George's cardigan here is about fifteen, twenty years old. It could be how old he was when he started wearing it." Gil leaned to his right and pulled the cardigan, causing a disdainful glare from the older man.

"And Lynn," Gil stated, turning to his left, "her preferred clothing style is stuck about fifty years back, her mind still in the days when she's swing dancing with her then boyfriend, now late husband John Sage." Lynn stared at Gil incredulously, not knowing how to react to this new, nose-snubbing man that took the sensible one's place.

"And me, don't even look at me. How can I even walk in public wearing this stuff?" Gil shook his head and scrunched up his face, pulling on his shirt in disgust. To his either side, Gil's companions stared at him wondering, "Who on earth was this man?"

George and Lynn were only further incensed by Murdoch's following rebuttal. "To work with the best, you have to be the best, and look the best," she arrogantly touted, "By the way, you do look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?" she asked.

"I'll answer your question once you've answered mine," Gil cut Murdoch off, directing everyone's attention back to the jacket. His tone also shifted from mockingly patronizing to deep and serious. "Did anybody notice that a button is missing on that jacket? Look right near the chest." Gil pointed to the area of interest.

Indeed, where the button should be, there was only a loose string. George and Lynn shifted their heads between Murdoch and the jacket, wondering how this rare and expensive suit would lose something that small and yet important. But Murdoch barely flinched, taking another chance to emphasize her superiority. "I've actually noticed that yesterday, and I already placed an order for a replacement. Unfortunately, custom suits mean custom repairs. I can't just buy one off the streets…"

As Murdoch shoved her gaudy lifestyle down the throats of George and Lynn, Gil returned his gaze to the laptop. A sly smile crept across Gil's face as he downloaded the attachment from the newest email. The assistant district attorney was right where Gil wanted her. "Mrs. Murdoch, if you don't mind me asking," Gil chimed in, interrupting an explanation on the pros and cons of high-end living, "is the button you're looking for this one?" he flipped the laptop around and showed everyone a round, thick, golden object.

Murdoch's eyes grew wide. "Yes, this is the one. Where did you find a picture of it? I thought it's a unique, custom made button not found anywhere else!" she blurted out.

"It is, and not only do I have a picture, I can tell you exactly where this button is as of we speak," Gil announced like a game show host, knocking on Murdoch's desk like a drum roll, "It is currently sitting in the forensics lab of the Altamira police headquarters after being found on the ground in the hotel room of Mr. Masako Hirano!" Gil announced the name like he was the star player of a sports team. He even cupped his hands on his mouth and breathed loudly to simulate cheering. Turning serious, Gil applied his own X-ray gaze on the blond, wavy-haired lady. "I think you have some explaining to do, no?"

Murdoch's eyes flickered, like a flash camera was taken to her face. Regaining composure, she calmly dismissed Gil's claim. "Just because there's a button resembling mine, it doesn't mean it's mine. Yes, I know the man quite well, and I have discussed warranties with him, but the button being found in his room doesn't prove anything."

Now it was Gil's turn to go on the offensive. "Mrs. Murdoch, you're a lawyer, so you should be familiar with 'the evidence never lies.' You see, we want to believe you, but the evidence is being stubborn and won't let us do that. Now, I did an experiment to see how hard it is to pull a button off a coat. Even with George's old vest it was pretty hard, and assuming you're telling the truth when you said you only discussed warranties, how is it possible that a button so unique to your brand new coat became dislodged? And how did it get dislodged in Masako's hotel room, of all places?"

Upon hearing that, George guarded his vest closely, eyeing Gil with an irritated look. "Mr. Irving's sick and twisted experiment had Mr. Bryant, my superior and one of Altamira's strongest men, turn me into a milkshake. I have no intention of going through that again," he spat, covering the buttons with his arms.

"And I think there are ways to track who the button belongs to," Lynn added, "If it's custom made, then that means it can't be too common. There's probably some way to match the button to the coat it came from. Right, Gil?"

Gil nodded sagely. "Forensic technology, you got to love it. We can match up a single item like a button back to the original clothing. All we have to do is to match the fibres of the two. But I'm sure you know all about it, since you've been involved in so many cases with them."

Murdoch looked gut-punched, and Gil took the chance to pounce to make her spill the beans for sure. "I'm sure the one who appointed you to this post won't be too happy to hear that you're involved in a murder case. And it doesn't help you that two people with a combined age of about a hundred fifty just shot down your entire cover story, so you tell me what we greenhorns should think?" Gil stared her in the eyes, oblivious to the death glares from George and Lynn for openly mocking their ages again. "So can you please tell us your story regarding Mr. Masako Hirano, starting with when you last saw him, and whether it involved being in that hotel room?"

Murdoch swallowed, her eyes not leaving her desk. She took deep breaths to calm her nerves, licking her lips as she began her story. "It was two days ago when he invited me up to discuss expanding my warranties. The hotel manager saw me, and he especially ordered a valet to take care of my car…" As she continued, Gil returned to his laptop, typing up another email to police: "Bring officer to Assistant DA's office, ASAP!"

* * *

"Wait, what do you mean go on standby?" Lloyd demanded on his cell phone. It was during lunch time at the dining room that Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and Raine decided to spend some time strolling around the streets near the beach that afternoon. The four were already changed into their summer gears when Gil suddenly called his son telling him not to wander off too far, citing that he needed their help on an important investigation.

"Just stay in the hotel lobby for now, I'll tell you more when I get back," Gil informed him before cutting the line. Gil informed them that after visiting the assistant district attorney early morning, he took George and Lynn with him to the police station to record some things, and would be eating lunch away from the group. But now, it seemed like Gil was expanding his targets by dragging Lloyd and his friends involved as well.

And that's where the group was found, loitering in the hotel lobby wondering what Gil had in mind. They were seated on nearby sofas, leaning their heads on their hands with bored expressions on their faces. Lloyd didn't have a shirt on, wearing only his dark blue board shorts and sneakers, and twirling his goggles around while keeping his eyes peeled for the door. "What does Dad have in mind?" he murmured, "Did he forget that we're on vacation and not another one of his undercover missions?"

Colette lifted her head up as she tried wiping the tomato sauce she spilled onto her white tank top during lunch. "Don't be too worried, Lloyd. I think he must have a reason for all this. Why don't we just be patient?" she stated soothingly to her boyfriend.

But while the three younger ones discussed, Raine's eyes were on another target. "Mr. Yancey," she called, rushing across the lobby. Indeed, stepping out of the elevator was a certain bespectacled man she came to know quite well from her last visit to the police station. "Hey, fancy meeting you here," she greeted, breathless after the dash.

"Yes, glad to see you too, Raine. But please, next time just call me Leonard," the jewellery expert politely replied. "What are you up to now? I don't see your friend here."

"Oh, Gil's off to do some weird stuff, and my brother and his friends are hoping to take a walk around the beach. What I'm really interested in is the Heart of Balacruf and its history. Do you have any sources where I can get more info or other stories on the necklace?" the female half-elf asked, her eyes sparkling at the mention of the jewel.

"There are certain books and historical reviews on jewellery and artefacts from the Balacruf Dynasty, so I'm sure you can turn to those," Leonard replied, a warm smile on his face. Never in his life had he met such an eager scholar, and he wasn't about to let that slide. "But first tell me, are you a first-generation half-elf?" he asked.

Upon hearing that, Raine nearly collapsed, having to take a couple of steps back to regain balance. "That's amazing, how did you guess that? People keep thinking I can't possibly have one human parent and one elf parent, but you figured that out in one shot! That's incredible!" she marvelled, her eyes twinkling at Leonard.

"Actually, most first-generation half-elves inherit many facial features from their elf parent. The most prominent ones are usually the ears, cheeks, and sometimes eyes and chin as well. It's only second generation, where two half-elves give birth to more half-elves that the human features start taking over. Of course, we'll have to go into a lecture on genetics just to figure that out," Leonard explained, sounding much like an expert.

"The Law of Inheritance, I remember it from my friends studying biology," Raine recalled, staring into the distance, "The half-elves are like a heterogeneous trait, where the human and elf genes are mixed together. Should you have two heterogeneous individuals breed, the chances of getting heterogeneous offspring are fifty percent, while the chances of getting homogeneous offspring, pure human or pure elf, is twenty-five percent each."

Leonard smiled and nodded, astonished at Raine's vast depth of knowledge. He was about to continue when Lloyd came over. "Dad's going to a cultural dance studio and wants two people to join him. Do you want to go?" he asked.

Again, Raine's eyes lit up like fireworks. "More cultural activities to learn, then that's the place for me! Tell Genis that I'm bringing him, whether he likes it or not," she replied. Turning back to Leonard, she excused herself from their talk. "I take every possible chance to learn about our history, so I can't possibly miss this."

Leonard smiled. "Don't worry, because I have to be on my way as well. I still have things to discuss with the police about regarding the case. We'll meet again, Raine."

* * *

The crisp sounds of ballroom music filled the studio as a middle aged woman swung around the wooden floors with a tall, long-haired man. They both wore unusual costumes, reminiscent of a past age as they whirled through the room. From the outside, Gil, Genis, and Raine looked on in fascination, albeit at different things. Raine strolled up and down the hallway, observing each picture of said woman in various costumes. "Just look at all these dance clothes, and the culture and history behind them. Unreal!"

But Gil and Genis were not focused on that, as the former mole sat on a nearby bench facing his laptop, sending the forensics unit another email regarding his list of items. While his right leg was kept immobile, his left foot tapped out the beat from the dance music. Just in front of him, Genis was on his feet, dancing along to the music in his own style. He waved his arms in the air, snapping his fingers while bending his knees up and down, almost like he was coming in and out of a crouch. "Let's boogie!" he called.

Gil glanced up at the siblings. Somehow, Genis' dance looked so creative, yet so odd in so many ways. And it didn't help that Genis was wearing only his two-toned swim trunks and sandals. His beach hat rested on the back of his bare shoulders, making him look even more out of place. Just down the hall, Raine was so absorbed in the photos that she didn't even notice the music stop and the dancers inside disappeared from sight. "Better get prepared," Gil muttered, shifting his laptop and struggling to his feet.

The slightly plump, brown-haired woman was about to march off with her partner when Gil called out to her. "Mrs. Simon, can I take a moment of your time please?"

Simon glanced back at her partner, who gave her a slight peck on the cheek as he left her alone. This was not unnoticed by Gil, who eyed the long-haired man all the way out the door. "Mrs. Simon, we're here to discuss some stuff about Masako Hirano…"

"If you're talking about my warranties with Lezareno, then please cut them for me after the next month," Simon responded, "I'm sorry for your company's loss, but I only have faith in Masako. I'll only contribute to them through him, nobody else."

Just then, Raine rudely pushed her way to the front. "Mrs. Simon? I'm not with the Lezareno Company. In fact, seeing how these two have no interest in the arts, I'm not even with them." She pointed to the photos on the hall, "I'm a historian and archaeology researcher, and I respect all those who values such precious pieces of culture. Would you care to share some cultural dance experiences with me?" she requested.

Simon straightened her back and puffed out her chest. "Each dance has its own unique story that makes it special. That's why you'll see a collection of clothes that draw out and embraces the culture…" she lectured with pride, swaggering down the hall like a peacock with its fan open. Gil followed uneasily on his crutches while Genis changed to a dance more suitable for someone wearing only a swimsuit. In a wide stance, he stretched his arms out sideways and shifted his weight between his two feet like a surfer.

Gil only had half his attention each photo, his eyes sneaking peeks at his laptop on the bench. Thanks to Raine's barrage of questions and Genis distracting everyone with his crazy dance, Simon couldn't see Gil clearly, giving him many opportunities to gather information. Gil also scanned each photo and used his mole memory to remember all the important details, knowing even the smallest piece might break the case.

"This is truly fascinating, don't you think? Genis, stop dancing and pay attention! This is a valuable lesson!" Raine yelled at her little brother, who now added a shuffle and a spin to his steps and became quite a nuisance to her. Gil cursed under his breath, as eyes were now getting closer to him, giving him fewer chances to approach his laptop.

"What are you talking about? I'm not just learning about culture, I'm developing my own," Genis retorted, reacting to Raine's words as an enticement to show off more of his moves, "Don't you like my moves?" And as Genis continued to wave around, much to the surprise of Raine and Simon, Gil turned to the laptop and saw a new email. He quickly downloaded its attachment, smiling in glee as he got what he wanted again.

Gil's head perked up to find the right photo, his eyes darting up and down the hallway. Raine and Simon were still flabbergasted at Genis when Gil finally saw the one. It was right next to Genis' head, showing the curly-haired woman in a colourful, beaded dress. "Mrs. Simon, this costume looks really unusual," Gil stated, hobbling over to the picture and the still swinging Genis, "I've never seen one like it. What is it worn for?"

The older woman grinned, strutting her way to the picture in a flourish. Placing herself in the middle, with Raine to one side and Genis and Gil on the other, she gave her boastful lecture on the history of the dress. "This is from an Asgard ritual dance, and the dress is made so that it feels like the wind is carrying you as you dance," she described.

"Hey, I can do that," Genis chimed in, shifting his body again. This time, he drew everyone's attention to his bare chest, pushing his belly and waist forward and back and making small circles with his arms. "Look, the wind is swirling around me!" he declared.

Raine could only roll her eyes while Simon tried to continue. But Gil would not be denied, as he asked abruptly, "Mrs. Simon, last time I was in Asgard, I didn't recall seeing beads on their traditional clothing. Can you tell me why they're there?"

"Actually, these are custom-made. The beads are optional, but I thought they added more flare to my dances…" she bragged about how much the dress cost, giving Gil time to compare the beads in the two pictures. Smiling, Gil could now zero in on his prey.

"Mrs. Simon, I just happen to have a bead identical to the ones on your dress, and it's not where you expect it to be," Gil stated, resembling a sports announcer again, "This bead is now in the forensics lab of Altamira police headquarters after being found on the ground in the hotel room of Mr. Masako Hirano!" Doing a twirl on his good leg, he pulled the laptop up and showed the bead, "Now can you explain to me how that got there?"

Simon's face and mood darkened, like someone just stepped on her feet while dancing. "What are you implying? Masako and I only discussed warranties, and the bead showing up in his room proves nothing!" she fumed, crossing her arms and glaring at Gil.

"Oh really? You wear a dance costume to discuss warranties? Are you sure there is nothing going on in that hotel room, or perhaps you're all like 'Mm-ch-ch, mm-ch-ch' with him?" Gil challenged, bobbing his head and shoulders back and forth like a hip-hop dancer. This egged Genis on, as he put his hands behind his head and did a belly roll. His abdomen rippled up and down like a wave, making the odd dancer look even stranger.

Raine stared back at Simon in shock at the revelation, while the older woman kept her lips sealed in a thin line. "No worries, because I'm sure your husband wants to know about it as well. And given that you guys run a line of department stores, I'm sure it'll be bad for PR if you're caught in a murder investigation," Gil continued his interrogation and his dance with Genis, "Why don't you tell us when the last 'bom-cha-cha' was?"

Simon's mouth dropped like a rock, much to Gil's amusement as he continued taunting her by complementing Genis' dance. Seeing he had Gil's interest, Genis decided to get bolder. "Hey, try this," he suggested, sticking a finger into the round, bowl-shaped depression on his gut and pulled in and out. "It's like the belly roll is controlled through my belly button, isn't that cool?" he asked, enjoying every flex of his abdomen.

Feeling trapped, the dance enthusiast revealed her information. "I last went to Masako's three days ago, and I did dance with him that night," she responded quietly, "The hotel manager was there, and even invited me to the next dance ball at the hotel."

Gil nodded, stopping his dance and lifting his laptop to his face, much to Genis' dismay. "Hey, don't stop yet, we're not done! Besides, I cleaned my belly button this morning, so we can do a few more dances with it!" he protested, still playing with the deep, hole-like object. Raine listened on intently, forgetting her mania for cultural dances as the former mole emailed to police: "Bring officer to dance studio, ASAP!"

* * *

"So is she really a dog enthusiast? Does she have a really cool dog? I think it'd be great to meet her!" Colette exclaimed giddily as she waited on the beach with Lloyd and Gil. Upon hearing that the person they were about to meet had a dog, Colette couldn't help but get excited, as the life-long dog-lover got a chance to be with a high-end canine. Hopping happily and half-clinging onto Lloyd, her eyes perked around in hopes of catching a glimpse of their target. "When's she going to show up?"

Lloyd, however, wasn't so sure of Gil's premises. Taking a level-headed approach for once, Lloyd mulled over each detail and felt something was not right. "If the hair or fur you found in the trash indeed belongs to an animal, what guarantee do we have that it will be the one she brings right now?" he asked, scratching his head, "And even if it is the right animal, how can we be sure that she comes to this beach for a walk?"

Gil nodded, typing furiously on his laptop. "Both are very good points, son. Your thinking skills have really matured after the Cruxis fiasco," he commented. Before Gil revealed his identity as a police mole, he found Lloyd was too willing to take the easy way out and blindly did what his intuition told him rather than think things through. But when Gil put Lloyd into the case for him to solve externally, Lloyd's mentality totally changed and he really matured as a person. And Gil couldn't be more proud of him.

But looking up from the laptop, he flipped the screen around to show the spiky-haired teenager some essential information. "The police investigated her background a bit. They found out about the dog club to which she's a member to, and people have seen her walking her favourite dog around this time at this beach. Also, the police has sent the fur to an animal lab and results have just come in," he explained.

Gil returned to his laptop, sending another email to the police and leaving Lloyd and Colette to themselves. Colette looked her boyfriend in the eyes and asked softly, "If we ever start living together, what type of pet would you want to own?"

Lloyd shrugged, his dark brown eyes aiming back at the love of his life. "Well, I think it's too early to think about things that far down the line, so I never really gave it any thought. I know you're a dog person, and I do like dogs myself, but what type of dog we're targeting might be different…" he trailed off with a sly grin.

"I prefer small ones; cute little guys you can pet and cuddle when you're down," Colette suggested, putting an arm on Lloyd's bare back. Lloyd returned the gesture by putting his arm around her shoulder, hooking his fingers on the tank top strap and pulling the blonde closer to him. "But I think we should get something that we can both agree on, because compromise is most important if we want to be with each other, right?"

"You bet, and I wouldn't want to spend it with anybody but you," Lloyd replied, emphasizing the last word. The two leaned inward, the world around them nothing but a blur as their attention was to each other. Lloyd closed his eyes, passion and love roiling inside his stomach as the smell of Colette's sunscreen penetrated into his nose. As his mouth closed in on Colette's, Lloyd was anxious to taste her lips again.

Likewise, Colette wanted to do the same, leaning in and pressing her other hand on her boyfriend's pectoral and abdominal muscles. But suddenly, something jogging up from the beach entered her vision. Colette tilted her head at the object and squealed in glee. "What a cute dog!" she cried, letting go of Lloyd and charging to the target. As she dashed off, Lloyd had nothing left to lean on, causing him to nearly fall flat on his face.

Lloyd glared up in annoyance as Colette squatted down to face level with a golden retriever. She petted and scratched the dog, which seemed to have taken a liking to the girl with similar-coloured hair. Beside them, the dog owner, a plump woman with red-brown, shoulder-length hair smiled and explained her dog's achievements to Colette. Upon seeing that, Gil lifted himself up with his crutches and inched his way forward.

"Mrs. Chalmers? There are some issues regarding Masako Hirano that I think we should discuss," Gil began, trying to get the woman's attention. Beside him, Lloyd was not happy at the attention Colette was giving to the dog, as his fists clenched on his board shorts, creasing the sides as he squeezed on the fabric.

"Yeah, I heard about his death. Just cut the warranties for me, I have no use for them," she murmured, waving a dismissing hand while continuing to attend to Colette's inquiries about her dog. "Bebe has won a majority of the dog shows she's been to. She's also voted dog of the year by my club for two years in a row, and…"

Gil tried to explain himself again, but to no avail. Chalmers continued bragging to Colette, favouring her dog's fan rather than the father and son. Meanwhile, Lloyd grew livid as his girlfriend forwarded the boasts to Lloyd. "What a great dog, Lloyd! I think we should get one like this," she stated, scratching and rubbing the canine's chin and fur.

Upon seeing the rubbing, Gil flipped his laptop around and showed everyone his discovery. "Mrs. Chalmers, I assume that, like all of Masako's other clients, you often visit the man in his hotel room when discussing warranties, right?" Gil asked, "In this case, can you explain why this golden fur can be found in the garbage of his room?"

Suddenly, the excitement between Chalmers and Colette faded as the smiles spun upside-down. Even Lloyd, who was simmering earlier, reacted like he was hit by a bus. With a smirk, Gil pushed the laptop down to the dog, matching the fur colours almost perfectly. "You see? Appearance-wise, the two are a match. And according to the latest police reports, the fur seems to be from a canine, most likely yours. Your comments?"

Chalmers, like the other middle-aged, wealthy ladies Gil interrogated before her, sealed her lips and refused comment, which only gave Gil more shots at her. "The hotel even has a policy of no pets, so bringing your dog in there is already against the rules. Besides, why will a warranty discussion involve a dog? What's so special about what you bought from Lezareno that requires your dog's presence?" Gil challenged mockingly.

Chalmers shot Gil a dark look, her anger seeping out from her face. "I don't like it when people challenge Bebe's abilities. She's a great dog, and I love her dearly. If you don't find her impressive, then that's your problem. But I've given her the best care and nothing you can say can change that," she spat heatedly, her fist clenching onto the leash.

"Mrs. Chalmers, there's a death in that hotel room. Anyone who has been up there is considered a witness, if not a suspect," Gil explained bluntly but calmly, "I'm willing to be a responsible citizen and ask the police to confiscate your dog for a DNA test to match the fur to her. That way, we'll know for sure whether you've been in the room or not. And mind you," Gil inched his head closer, a sinister look on his face as he whispered in a mean tone, "dogs don't have human rights, so any complaints you have on the police's treatment of her are fruitless. Think carefully before you act."

Chalmers staggered back, shocked at the lengths Gil was willing to go. With no options left, Chalmers pleaded with the smirking, goateed man to spare them. "Please, I'll tell everything you want to know, just don't put Bebe through any pain," she begged.

Even Colette, who was enamoured with the dog earlier, was appealing to Gil to let the dog go. Beside him, Lloyd was amazed at his father, as his mole tactics were working wonders here. Gil smiled and shook his head, satisfied that another victim fell into his trap. "When was the last time you've been to Masako's room, why was the dog there, and how did she get in?" he asked, leaning on his crutches and looking on with interest.

"It was four days ago," Chalmers began, her tone fluttering and weak. She also refused to tear her guilty eyes from Bebe, fearing what torture the golden retriever would experience at the police station. "We wanted to extend the warranty for the dog massage machine, and I brought Bebe with me. It was the hotel manager who allowed us in from the back door and into the freight elevator…" And as she continued, Gil turned back to his email and typed in: "Bring officer to beach, ASAP!"

* * *

And in this chapter alone, all 4 of my intended running gags have shown up at least once. For those who don't know what they were intended to be, feel free to try guessing what they are. For those that do, please don't give them away. Thanks for reading!


	5. Logical Inconsistencies

Again, thanks to **Poet Bucky** and **I.K.A. Valian** for reading and reviewing. Remember when I said I was going to put you two on hold? Well, I changed my mind, and now I'm determined to give you guys a bigger role in solving the crimes. Bucky will appear again in this chapter, and I.K.A. in the next one.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"Have you got the warrant approved?" Lieutenant Arnold asked as his lead officer entered his office. Shortly after the morning visit by Gil Irving, Arnold had rearranged his investigation's approach. They had to refocus their case since Gil requested an officer for a testimony given by Assistant District Attorney Murdoch, the first of three that day, and Arnold was set on finding out about Masako's other visitors in the past few days.

"Right here, sir," the officer waved the paper in his hand. He handed it to Arnold like a box full of ancient treasure. The younger man sat anxiously, watching Arnold's emotionless face as his scanned the page like a photocopy machine, trying to catch every word on this very important document.

Finally, Arnold looked up and nodded. "We have everything. Once we get to the hotel, Gil should be waiting for us," he explained, "Collect the objects in question for the hotel room case, but leave the model case to evening shift. They probably want to look around before they can talk to the auction staff. Their offices are in another building."

The officer cocked his head. "What do we expect to find from the new leads? It's not like we haven't scoured the room for evidence, so whatever these other visitors left behind should be in those bags Mr. Irving gave us, no?" he inquired.

Arnold nodded. "Yes, because the button, the bead, and the dog hairs were all from the garbage bags. But Gil's interviews with the three ladies may not be accurate, because they could all be lying about the exact date and time they went to the room," he replied in a straightforward tone, "Also, they could have returned to his room after their original appearances, so there's no way to tell what truly happened. Only by seeing the security videos on that floor's main hallway can we be sure." With that, he slid the warrant back to the officer, pushing it forward like a letter being sent through a mailbox.

The lead officer took the paper and gently slid it into a folder, handling it like an old manuscript from a museum. "So we know there's new evidence to be collected for the Masako Hirano case, but what's there to figure out in the supermodel one?" he asked, "Is there something in the hotel that we missed during our last visit?"

Arnold rubbed his face uneasily. "Leonard Yancey from the auction came again earlier today, demanding that we return the necklace back to them. But when I was reviewing those files, I found some logical discrepancies." The lieutenant moistened his lips, grabbing a folder from his tray and opening it to the right page. He flipped it around to show his officer like a picture book. "According to the auction staff, almost everyone was in the ballroom when the death occurred. And it happened in the back stairs, with no eye witnesses and the video camera pointing away, so we won't get anything from that."

The officer listened on with intent, leaning his chin on his hands as Arnold had the testimonies laid out neatly before him like sorted laundry. "The claim we have is that Zelos Wilder, because he was the only one to get close to the body, had to be the prime suspect. And Andrew Crocker, because he saw the body tumble, could also be involved as well. That's why we apprehended them both, but there's no logical link in the evidence making either of them the killer, and their stories reflected on each other almost perfectly. Unless both lied, there's no way either could logically be the killer based on that alone."

The officer furrowed his brow, his eyes in a confused stare as he mulled Arnold's words. "So are we saying there's someone else who may have done it? All the security guards have said they combed the place and found nobody but Andrew," he pointed out.

"And that's exactly what we're going to find out," Arnold decided, pushing out of his chair and marching to the door like a musician in a parade, "we have to find if there's another source in that place that may give us more evidence. And with the forty-eight hour deadline on holding Zelos Wilder up by morning, we have to decide on our next move. If there's really nothing on Zelos, we may have to release him and the necklace."

The officer sighed, shaking his head as they stepped out of the office. "It seems like back to square one, but with evidence being so limited here, I'll take any new lead I can." He muttered. He headed in the opposite direction towards the staff lounge, where members of the team were waiting. Arnold could hear his voice in the distance as the officer barked out orders at the team, informing them of their next move.

Seeing how the situation was under control, Arnold headed to the unit secretary and asked her to keep track of Gil's progress. "He said he'd meet us at the hotel, but if he gathered any more new information, tell him to send it to us," he instructed, "I have to prevent a certain persistent auction group from stripping our evidence."

* * *

"Surely you jest! Are you telling me you have no recollection of their presence in the past few days?" Gil asked in disbelief. After the secretary from Arnold's unit had informed him of their arrival, Gil immediately came down to the lobby to wait for them. But like a bee attracted to nectar, Childress had to show up and make all sorts of strange inquiries, especially regarding sensitive matters such as the cases. Add Childress' fake smile and false charming voice to the mix and Gil was officially crept out.

And that was when Gil reversed the tables on the hotel manager, figuring that the one in charge of this building must have some idea as to what had happened throughout the past few days. Sensing a way in, he stared Childress in the eyes and, with a candy-sweet tone, asked him about the presence of the three ladies he had interrogated earlier in the hotel, and whether they had entered into Masako's room or floor. But to his surprise, the hotel manager's answer was flatly negative, claiming nothing of that sort occurred under his watch. Upon hearing that, Gil was truly puzzled.

"No, Mr. Irving, I do not recall anything like that," Childress again reiterated. He pressed his lips tight together, almost like he was trying to swallow a sticky mochi ball without chewing. The sudden volume decrease in the lobby seemed to have casted a light on the two men, and was slowly fixing in on Childress.

"We had three wealthy ladies, each with five-digit warranties to discuss with the man, and each saying you saw or helped them to Masako's room in some way. They came here on three consecutive days, too," Gil informed Childress, his dark piercing eyes shooting into Childress' face like laser beams, "I thought being a mole was difficult, now I learn there's something even harder than undercover work: getting answers from you."

Childress kept his lips pursed, refusing to look back at Gil. "I'm sure he has friends, but I really don't know who the ladies you keep referring to are," he murmured, "The hotel's policy is that we have no business in our guests' activities, unless it's illegal. And as a person, I also value others' privacy. Masako's privacy is no exception."

Just then, the men and women in uniform marched through the front doors, taking the heat off Gil's interrogation. "Oh, don't bother explaining to me. I'm just a regular hotel guest, what right do I have to interfere with police business?" Gil stated, tilting his head slightly backwards and chuckling, "But I'm sure they want to know what's going on. You're a taxpayer, so you pay for their services. Better get your money's worth." He winked at Childress before giving way to the police barging in like a raid.

A female officer approached them and pulled up the warrant in Childress' face. "In helping us with our investigation into the death of Masako Hirano, we require you to bring out all the surveillance videos targeting the elevator entrance and the hallways of the eleventh floor from the day of the death to two days before it," she ordered, almost like taunting Childress by waving the paper before his eyes and nose.

Childress was taken aback, not sure of what to make of it. He hesitantly took the paper in his hand, almost as if he were grabbing a burning torch. After skimming over a few lines, he put that fake charming smile back onto his face and led the police into the back. As some members of the forensics team followed, Gil informed the team what else he had found out from his interviews with the three wealthy ladies, supplementing the testimonies written by officers he requested at various parts in the day. "By the way, what plans do you guys have regarding the other one?" he asked, referring to Candy's case.

"I'm with the evening shift, and Lieutenant Arnold told me that we'll handle the supermodel case," an officer with a buzz cut explained, "We've been told that there are a few logical inconsistencies in the testimonies, and we're back to re-examine the scene."

Gil nodded. He had noticed something unusual about the case as well, especially with what Zelos and Andrew had told him. And with limited information on what went on inside the restricted area, there was still much to investigate before any conclusion could be drawn. "I'll let you be on your way then," Gil responded with a small smile, "I'll just go with your colleagues to the security office and check things out there." Thanking them, he turned in the opposite direction with difficulty and slowly ambled off.

By the time Gil clopped his way to the security room, the officers were already waiting for the tapes they demanded. Gil stuck his head in from the doorway and felt a cool sensation dawn upon him. The dim lighting in the room and the front panel of screens for every security camera in the hotel made him feel very uncomfortable. "So this is why he knows where I am, he can see me from almost anywhere," he mumbled.

"No, there won't be any more tapes from there," Childress' response to a police question snapped Gil out of his trance. He was almost captivated by the screens earlier, as he wondered how one person could have so many people's privacies at hand, yet could not tell him whether those three ladies showed up. "The only tapes we have are the ones from the elevator entrance and the main hallway, just like your warrant requested." Gil turned his head to see Childress, still with that sick smile, hand the tapes over to police.

"You know, you have all these cameras running at all times. Surely you may have recalled seeing those three ladies at some point in time," Gil interrupted, hobbling his way into the front. He leaned on his crutches while his eyes scanned the screens like an expert art critic at a museum. Each one of them zoned in on a different location, and any one of them could have witnessed a key event in this case. "Mrs. Murdoch said you dealt with her car, Mrs. Simon said you complimented her when she went into the elevator, and Mrs. Chalmers said you took care of her dog. And they all put in a good word about you when they were interviewed by the police. I'm sure you won't be so ungrateful that you'll accuse them of lying, will you?" Gil looked back and winked at Childress.

Childress again avoided eye contact, trying hard to hide his fume in the darkness. "You're right, they may have dropped by the hotel, but I haven't paid any attention to that. As I've told you before, I value others' privacy, and I tend not to get into their business unless it was absolutely necessary," he softly stated, sounding unconfident. He was like a wounded animal on the unguarded plains, with vultures and other scavengers circling him from above. "If it makes things clearer, the only person I recalled seeing in Masako's room during the time of death was Sheena Fujibyashi, nobody else."

Gil continued his stare, the contrast between the shining screens and the dim lighting caused a strange silhouette to cover half his face. An uncompromising stare was directed at the hotel manager as the Iselia native spoke in a cold tone. "Technically, you already lied when I asked you earlier whether you saw them or not, and you said you didn't recall. So are you sure you're not lying again when you said it's not your job to invade peoples' privacy unless it's necessary?" he demanded harshly.

There was complete silence in the room as all eyes were on the man on crutches. Gil inspecting the screens for another minute before moving out, gently telling the police they could proceed. "I've got more unsolved mysteries to see," he told the crowd, leaving the room.

* * *

"So this is the staircase that Candy fell off from, and it leads up to the second floor preparation rooms…" the police tried to restructure the last steps Candy took before she tumbled to her death two days ago, and match the events to the testimonies given by each witness. The officers scurried around the stairs like bees buzzing around their nest, trying to work out the logical inconsistencies in the statements. Unfortunately, they were not having much luck, as there was nothing in their notes allowing them to mark exact locations, save for the body.

"That would mean she exited from the second floor after strolling through the halls up there. But security haven't seen or heard anything because Andrew Crocker was creating problems for them," the officer with the buzz cut called from the stairway, leaning over to see the spot of the death. The white bars and handrails resembled a puzzle, further emphasizing the complex case they were involved in. Could this death be really nothing more than a freak accident? What were the true events that went on here?

Just then, a familiar, goateed individual balancing delicately on two crutches made his way into the stairwell. He took a quick glance around before he approached the closest officer, asking where the investigation was headed. When he received the grim news of a deadlock, Gil immediately asked for a re-creation of the last few minutes of the supermodel's life. "Assuming the testimonies are all accurate, she would have been preparing for the auction just before she died. We must go through everything that was seen and said by interviewees and then pick out each logical discrepancy," Gil ordered, directing the officers to various spots like a traffic cop.

As each officer marched off, Gil began picturing the events in his head. His slow movements going up the stairs on crutches resembled climbing the Fooji Mountains as he made his way to the break in steps between first and second floor. He glanced up at the officers coming in and out of the second floor doors like he was stargazing as he tried to listen in on their discussions. "Alright, this is where the room is, and according to the interviews with the security guards, Leonard Yancey stepped out just minutes before they were to march out…" one officer's voice trailed off as he entered the door.

"There's one logical inconsistency right there," Gil murmured, his brain going into overdrive. Obviously, Leonard was the last person other than security to be near that room before Candy bolted, so what did he see before stepping out? Gil closed his eyes, submerging himself into the scene. He could see Leonard exit the prep room and talking with the guards, who aired out warnings of Andrew's presence in the halls to him.

"Then supposedly, the guards said that Andrew sneaked into the hallway, where they blocked his way into the room. Andrew then ran back to the other exit and into the second floor of the parking lot…" Another voice could be heard saying as officers strolled back and forth upstairs. Gil absorbed all their information as he continued his statue-like pose, presenting a Zen-like posture as he let everything flow into him.

"There's another logical inconsistency," Gil mumbled to himself. In the event that the security guards did chase after Andrew, that would leave the room unattended. Candy was all by herself, meaning nobody was there to see anyone, Candy included, enter or exit the room. Anyone could have gone in and attacked her, not just Andrew or Zelos. The case was getting increasingly complicated, but the fortunes were turning around for the stocky young fanatic and the red-haired former military mole.

"What about the auction staff? What they said regarding their whereabouts?" a female voice chimed in, cutting into Gil's thoughts like a knife, "Leonard Yancey said he left her to attend some other prep work while everyone else gathered in the ball room…"

"Yet another one," Gil muttered, "Haven't these guys taken any courses in logic in university or the academy? Don't say all they knew how to do were drinking and hazing." With Andrew in the parking lot scurrying from security, Leonard might have gone off to another part of the building. But there was nothing on whether he returned or not, and what he might have seen on the way. What did the jewellery expert say in his interview?

"Wait, how does that link to what happened afterwards, when Andrew said he saw the body tumble down and ran out of the stairs and nearly hitting Zelos Wilder?" one officer asked. This peaked Gil's interest, as one eyelid slowly pulled up like a sunflower lifting to the sun. Was there another way to go down a floor in the hotel parking lot? Maybe Andrew ran through there and back in through the back door, pausing at the stairs to rest when he saw Candy fall. With renewed determination, Gil was set on finding out.

Gripping the crutches, Gil slowly negotiated down the stairs, his eyes set on the parking lot. Knowing police had neglected to inspect its design, Gil was set on breaking through with this. He reached the bottom, ready to make a turn when a short teenager in a green tank top, dark shorts and blue bandana on her neck entered from the back doors. Seeing how she might have seen the layout, Gil approached her. "Excuse me," he called.

The girl whipped her head around and pointed to herself. "Eh?"

The man on crutches nodded, making his way over and greeted her. "The police are upstairs investigating a case and they want to know about the structure of the parking lot. I assume you went through there earlier, so I'm hoping to know if you may have noticed another route in there going from the first floor to the second floor," he inquired.

The teenager bent her head in thought as Gil came up beside her. Standing beside each other, Gil towered over her by a head, even when she stood straight while he leaned on crutches. Tilting her head slightly upward to look into Gil's eyes, she described the layout to him. "There should be another staircase for an emergency exit in the corner. Not too many people use it, I guess, but other than that the only way down is if you go where the cars go," she responded, "Is this involving that supermodel falling off the stairs?"

Gil nodded, his pose easing a bit. There was something about this teen that made him feel more comfortable. There wasn't any of that suspicion or refusal to cooperate from her. Rather, she seemed pretty willing to help, which compelled Gil to press on further while releasing a bit more information to her. "It is, and we're stuck with some logical inconsistencies. As you probably heard on the news, Zelos Wilder has been arrested, and there was another guy that saw the body fall. Did you see anything here?"

The petite teen nodded, her eyes providing a twinkle that forced Gil to listen on. "Was he a stocky guy wearing a plaid shirt and thick glasses? I saw him run out from the stairs into the lobby, and that's where he bowled me over. Zelos is the red-haired guy, right? He was right there as well, and I saw him dodge the bulky guy before going into the stairs. He actually came out from the elevator just before that," she described eagerly.

Gil's eyes grew wide. That would mean neither Zelos nor Andrew killed Candy, should their testimonies ring true. Gil struggled back to the stairs and shouted up, calling for officers to come down. As they waited for the men and women in uniform to arrive, Gil stared back at the girl and chuckled. "You're much smaller than Andrew, and you took a hit from him. I'm surprised you didn't suffer any cuts and bruises."

The teen shrugged. "I'm a horseback rider. My track record is eleven falls, two kicks, and one trample, not to mention numerous times being stepped on by horses with big feet. After dealing with that all that, you have to toughen up," she replied with a grin.

Gil nodded happily, thanking the teenager for her time. He couldn't believe his fortunes as he mulled over the words spoken by the horse-lover, knowing that this might be the case breaker. Just then, an officer came down the stairs, and Gil instructed him to do a testimony with the girl while he headed back into the lobby. "There's still a person I want to talk to," he informed them, "And I have just the perfect person to bring with me."

* * *

"Leonard, there you are!" Raine exclaimed as she hurried into the unit. After Gil informed her that he wanted her presence in his visit to Leonard Yancey's office, Raine jumped at the opportunity to go. But when they got to the building housing the auction company, they were told that Leonard had gone to the police station. Sensing that they still had a chance to speak with him before he left, they rushed down to the station.

"Raine, what a surprise," Leonard replied, looking up from his table, "My group told me to come check on the police's progress on the necklace, but now I've been told that there's a change in the investigation, and the necklace may be released back to us." He turned to the two men standing behind her, his eyes glancing around in curiosity. "I recognize one of them as your friend from last time, but who is this other person?"

Raine broke out a shy smile, rubbing her head embarrassingly. "This is my thesis supervisor, Frank Brunel. I'm currently finishing my Master's degree, and hopefully I'll get to work with him in the future," she explained, eager to bring the two experts in their respective fields together, "Originally it was only Gil and I who were coming, but Frank was interested in seeing the necklace as well, so I thought he ought to tag along."

Frank extended his hand and Leonard warmly returned the gesture. "So Raine told me each jewel has its own traits, and a model must bring out those traits when wearing it. But Candy wore more pieces than anyone else, so does she bring out many traits then?"

Leonard's expression suddenly became serious, his eyes concentrated hard to the front as he described his answer. "In our company's beliefs, jewels represent one of the most, if not the most important thing a man can give to his lover. So at the very least, it must have some ability to attract the woman he loves. For us, the model wearing the jewel must have some attractive abilities of her own, allowing the audience's attention to be drawn directly to her. Candy was, by far, the textbook example of this," he responded.

While Raine and Frank listened intently, Gil was onto something else. During the entire time, Leonard's eyes seemed to be focused on one thing, and Gil wondered what was so attractive about his target. "If you don't mind me saying, you seem to know a lot about these issues. It almost seems like you really admire Candy," Gil stated, his face trying to remain stoic while his eyes honed in on the bespectacled man, "Is it because she brought you the most business or perhaps there are other reasons to it as well?"

Leonard chuckled uneasily, trying to shake his gaze away. "It's not like that I only know Candy from working with her for almost three years," he replied, "While her physical beauty is truly impressive, there are other things about women that I value as well, one of them being determination and dedication to what they believe in." Again, his eyes inadvertently returned to the lone female member of their group.

Raine nodded sagely. "And why won't you admire someone like that? You're much more dedicated to studying the history behind these valuables than most of the people I've met. Even professors and fellow graduate students don't work this hard at it," she declared frankly, her eyes looking more determined than ever, "I've spent so much time trying to convince people that studying our past is crucial, yet everyone brushes me off like I'm crazy, even friends and family members like Lloyd and Genis. But with you, it's almost like I got someone other than Frank knowledgeable enough to talk to."

And as Raine and Leonard continued singing praises of learning history, with Frank interjecting every now and then with a question, Gil's attention floated off. His eyes were cast at the hallway leading to the holding cells, where two familiar figures emerged from the shadows. The goateed man couldn't help but break out a smile as Zelos and Sheena came into view, marching confidently to the front to gather their belongings. Excusing himself from the jewellery talk, Gil hobbled his way to them.

"So I guess this means your names have been cleared, at least for now, right?" Gil asked as he approached. This only caused wide grins to be plastered onto the faces of Sheena and Zelos, as they happily waited for the staff to return their things. Just before them, Andrew Crocker already took everything and was on his way to his freedom again.

"Well, the officer that released me told me all about that teenage girl's testimony, and how it basically removed both Andrew and I from the crime scene," Zelos explained, his smile broader than his shoulders. He could barely contain his excitement, which again revealed the flirtatiousness in him as he winked and blew kisses at every female staff member that passed by. "That was some great fortune, Gil. I'll never forget it."

Sheena tried to look away, not wanting to be caught in the middle of a flirting match. But nonetheless, she was quite satisfied as well. "Your hard work allowed the police to focus on those other three ladies, and that effectively pulled the spotlight away from me," she pointed out in relief. Creases in her face and unruly hair were evidence of the ordeal she went through in the past two days, and dark bags under her eyes like hacky sacks further emphasized the fatigue the pressure brought onto her. "I owe you one, Gil."

Gil nodded, satisfied that his friends would be alright for now. "But according to what Lieutenant Arnold has told me over the phone, it doesn't mean either one of you are off the hook yet. Should they have any other questions, they may return to consult you. But for now, the supermodel case has so far been ruled an accident, thanks to the lack of suspects, and Sheena is no longer the prime suspect in Masako's death," Gil described.

As he said this, Leonard Yancey also came to the front, holding the handling case for the Heart of Balacruf closely to his chest and guarding it like some lost treasure. From their conversation, Arnold also decided to release the Heart of Balacruf back to the auction group, as to avoid any conflicts. But despite the ease in the lieutenant's tone, Gil was unconvinced that there would be no more issues with the necklace. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things I want to address with Mr. Yancey," he informed Sheena and Zelos.

Gil glanced at Leonard, who had an uneasy look on his face. Behind him in the distance, Raine and Frank were still discussing the necklace, with a nearby officer asking them to leave so police could finish their work in peace. The combination of Raine and Frank's persistence and Leonard looking uncomfortable made Gil wonder what was said while he was gone; or better yet, what wasn't said. Targeting him, Gil clopped forward.

But before another word was said, Leonard's cell phone rang, sending a shrill call through the unit. The jewellery expert scowled, lowering the case to free up one hand for answering the phone. Gil watched with interest as Leonard spoke softly into the speaker, trying to sound discrete, but the expression on his face completely gave away his true feelings of surprise and even frustration. "What do you mean have it ready by the next morning? I just got it back!" Leonard whispered hoarsely, eyes glaring to the side.

Gil's face flickered, like an insect just flew into his eye. He blinked a few times and regrouped to listen in. Leonard's body deflated somewhat, the case holding the Heart of Balacruf sagging to the ground as his hand loosened the grip, "Alright, I understand. All the events of the past days you plan to use for publicity," he replied monotonously.

At this time, Gil decided to make his entrance. Leonard regained his hold on the case, his eyes darting around agitatedly and his body shuffling as he was itching to leave. "I'll contact the buyers from the last auction while you handle the press. Thanks." He ended the talk by stuffing his phone in his pocket like impaling an ice chunk with a pick. The bespectacled man still seethed as he headed off. However, he couldn't take more than three steps before halting suddenly. "Mr. Irving," he looked up, surprise replacing anger as Gil blocked his path, looking at him like a science experiment, "how can I help you?"

* * *

"Well, I never thought I'd see this place again," Sheena sighed as she flopped down onto a sofa in the lobby of their hotel. It had been two days since she or Zelos got to sleep in a soft, warm bed, and it almost felt like a homecoming when they were given entrance back into their luxury suites. However, because both were considered suspects, the rooms were off limits as police combed through them for evidence.

But oddly enough, their rooms were left untouched even after police collected everything. This struck Gil as unusual, since Masako's was scrubbed and rinsed like a baby in the bath after the police left. Surely the pushy Childress couldn't have missed out on something, could he? Keeping an easygoing and somewhat humorous tone, Gil stated his case at the front desk. "I know you wanted the room for other guests, but it was a crime scene to begin with, so you should be leaving it intact for as long as possible. But Sheena and Zelos here just got out of jail after being confirmed that they weren't the main suspects. Surely you can give them back their rooms, right?" he belted out each line like a comedian of stage, wiggling his brows and winking at the clerks, "They are paying, so you don't want to lose their business."

"I can't speak for Mr. Hirano's room, except that Mr. Childress has given special orders to have it cleaned first," the bespectacled clerk stumbled through her explanation, her hands still shuffling the orders of the day madly while juggling with the computer, "I can only say that we're doing everything we can, and Mr. Childress will be releasing the room back after inspection. I ask for your patience and apologize for any inconvenience."

"Come on, you can't be serious. You're leaving two occupied rooms with guests that may possibly return dirty? What kind of logic is that?" Gil pressed on, sarcasm dripping with every word as the smile was still spread wide across his face. Although he appeared pleasant and cheerful, the clerks actually felt quite intimidated with Gil's oddly-worded questions, leaving the entire front desk staff fumbling around desperately.

Then, their beacon of hope exited the elevator as a man with neatly combed hair and wearing a dark suit stepped into the lobby. Upon seeing Gil, he immediately strode over, his legs taking long and quick steps. "Mr. Irving, how can I help you?" Childress asked, as the fake charming smile and stiff posture returned.

Gil's expression nearly reversed itself. He knew Childress had something to do with the delay, and was keen on understanding why the hotel manager was making life that difficult for his group. Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, Gil forwarded his concerns to Childress. "I think it's unusual that you cleaned up Masako's room so fast but leave Sheena and Zelos' rooms unattended. Can you explain this?" he demanded.

Childress didn't flinch, his expression resembling a statue as it looked like it was permanently etched on. "I assure you and your friends that any preparation that could be done have been done, and I was just making sure the cleaning crews didn't miss any small details," he explained calmly and clearly, "Our hotel guarantees the best service to our clients, and we can't afford to make any of them feel uncomfortable here."

"You're already making some people feel uncomfortable right now, if you don't mind me saying," Gil muttered, stretching his cheeks hard to keep his grin in place as he hid his discontent. Thanking Childress with forced gratitude, Gil nodded to his friends and entered the elevator. Childress eyed them the entire way, making them feel more unease as his eyes were the last things to disappear from sight as the doors closed.

Gil let out a sigh of relief as the threesome stood in the elevator, hearing the soft humming of the machinery as it carried them to the correct floor. Seeing the former mole in such a strange posture, Zelos couldn't help but ask what was wrong. "It seems like there's something about the manager that you don't quite like," he observed.

Gil looked at the fellow mole with pleading eyes, the topic of Childress sounding almost taboo to him. "There's something about the way he deals with these issues in the past few days that made me not trust him," he responded, shifting his weight on his crutches, "I can't put my finger on it, but somehow he's hindering the investigation on purpose, and wanted to do everything in his power to put Sheena behind bars."

Sheena's eyes grew wide, her body tensed up, and her hand clutched her bag of belongings even tighter. Sure, Childress did seem creepy the night of Masako's death, but they had no evidence to prove any of the claims. Moreover, he had done everything the police requested of him, including sending in the tapes that temporarily removed Sheena as the prime suspect. Surely there was some mistake to Gil's allegation, right? "I don't know how to say this, but we shouldn't be so quick to judge yet. There are still too many things that we haven't figured out," Sheena retorted, a worried look plastered on her face.

Gil nodded, his lips pursed as he leaned on his crutches. "True, we've spent all this time dispelling the logical inconsistencies of the cases just to free you two, so it's not justified for us to base our own conclusion on a logical inconsistency. But consider this," he pointed out, his head tilting to his either side as he stared at his friends with deathly serious eyes, "he had tapes of every security camera in the hotel, but he said he couldn't recall seeing the three ladies. There was still evidence in that room when he ordered for the cleaning, and only after digging in the trash did we find them. So what is he hiding?"

A shrill ding echoed through the elevator, snapping the three out of their trains of thought and signalling to them that they had reached the intended floor. Gil paused to let his companions out first, clopping behind while they marched to their rooms. The entire time they trudged along, not a sound was made, leaving an eerie silence in the hall and all the doors lining it. To Gil, it was almost like the march at the funeral of his friend and superior Anthony Marshall, the former Iselia police chief in charge of his undercover cases and met with him many times. Marshall ultimately met his fate when he tried to stall Cruxis to allow Gil to escape, only to be thrown off a building himself.

Sheena reached her room first, sliding her card key in while Zelos moved to the adjacent door. As the door squeaked open, Sheena peered at her surroundings. True to Childress' words, the room had been cleaned and reorganized. Dirty or misplaced clothes scattered during her mad dash and shower after Masako's assault were returned to her cleaned and folded. The fresh smell of new bed sheets and blankets also refreshed the Mizuho native as she revelled in the welcome sight. "It's good to be back," she stated.

Behind her, Gil glanced around the room, albeit with a different attitude. There was something unusual about the way things were placed in the room, but he couldn't put a finger on it. He couldn't help but feel Sheena was not out of danger yet, and things were not about to get better. "Just be careful, alright? If there's anything weird going on, get Zelos or the rest of us down here. We'll help you out," he advised before hobbling away.

Sheena softly thanked Gil before stepping into her room. Immediately, she took off her clothes and stepped into the shower, getting a good wash to cleanse the smells of the holding cell. She could hear the water and ventilation fan operating in the other room, and guessed Zelos was doing the same. As she reflected upon the past couple days in that cell, Sheena realized that, much to her surprise, she had became fast friends with Zelos. It wasn't just because they were together and did nothing but talk to pass the time, it truly felt like Zelos tried understanding her, and listened to her whenever she felt down. As the water poured over her like a waterfall, Sheena finally found out about her stance on him. "He's not a bad guy, way different than the pervert everyone said he was," she decided.

After about ten minutes of rinsing and contemplating, Sheena finally turned the water off. She grabbed a towel and stepped out of the tub, her entire body refreshed like after a brisk morning jog. She stepped out of the bathroom and near her bed, where her travel bag was located. As she dug through for her clothes, she also realized how much she understood Zelos. Being from a military family, she knew the expectations placed on Zelos when he joined the army, and to protect his sister from danger by going undercover in Cruxis. All her life, Sheena was under the lights and glory of her grandfather, Igaguri, and she never bothered to step aside and realize what real dangers military personnel go through. "Volt was the only time I proved myself, and I have much more to learn and do before I can compare myself to Zelos," she decided, pulling out a T-shirt and track pants.

Just then, a knocking sound came from the door connecting the two rooms. "Can I come in?" Sheena heard Zelos ask, "I mean, if you're all dressed, then I would like to talk to you." Sheena grumbled in return as she had to hurry. But even as she threw her clothes on, Zelos didn't rush her. Rather, he waited patiently for Sheena to finish and opened the door for him. "May I?" he asked, standing good-naturedly at the door frame.

Sheena looked at him apprehensively before giving way. Sheena was still uneasy with allowing men into her room alone, but she figured the only way for her to conquer her fear was to face it head on. Stepping back, she allowed the redhead into her room. Zelos gingerly moved through, but didn't seat himself down. Rather, he stood near the door and looked at Sheena with a serious expression. "You doing alright?" he asked.

Sheena nodded, still trying to find the courage to face the events. Her eyes shifted around uncomfortably, wondering if any threats were around them. Zelos could sense the worry in her face, and promptly reassured her. "Gil said we'd do everything in our power to make sure we're safe, so relax," he soothed, "Let's just grab some dinner, alright?"

Sheena nodded, and slowly made their way to the dining room. They remained relatively quiet at the beginning, their eyes focusing mainly on their menus, nothing else. As they waited for their meals to arrive, the awkward silence was too much for the two. "You're not worried about getting arrested again, are you?" they blurted out in chorus.

Hearing that, they laughed at each other, finally getting into a more relaxed tone. "Well, it is Gil who did the hard work," Sheena pointed out as she slowly sipped her water, "How did you find doing undercover work with him like?" she asked.

As they got into the element, they soon released their pent-up fear and discussed their ordeal. They talked on and on, through their meal and even dessert. They stayed at the dining hall for so long that they didn't even noticed the surroundings cooling down. They finally looked up to see sun rays replaced by street lights, and decided to retire to bed. "We got to look out for each other now, okay?" Zelos stated as they approached their doors, "Good night, Sheena," he wished politely as he opened his room.

Sheena nodded as she waved goodbye to him. Checking the time, she decided to change into her sleepwear and slid into bed. She tucked herself in, a small smile on her face as she was finally in the comforts and private surroundings of her room again. But as she closed her eyes, little did she know she was being spied on from an unknown source.

* * *

Gil rubbed his face as he sat up on his bed, still going through all the information on his laptop. After changing into a T-shirt and shorts, he wanted to see the evidence one more time before going to sleep. He hadn't even started on his novel during this vacation thanks to the cases. "Well, at least they put me into the mystery mindset," Gil murmured.

Just then, a cool breeze whipped across the bed as a certain spiky-haired teenager wearing only boxer briefs blew past him. Gil stared up to see a still unhappy Lloyd flop onto his bed, brown eyes staring a hole into the ceiling as he roughly folded his slightly muscular arms across his chest. Seeing the rage on his son's face, Gil turned to confront him. "Are you still mad about the beach incident?" he asked.

Lloyd whisked his head around, the chocolate eyes looking murderous. "She was in the middle of a conversation about us, about our future, and all she did was let a dog take over and forget such an important issue! What does she think I am?" he demanded, his developing biceps and triceps, chest, and six-pack all tensed up in his fury.

"Whoa, hold on. You seriously think you're not comparable to even a dog? Are you telling me you've become that jealous?" Gil retorted, bewilderment spreading to all parts of his face, "I've heard of guys angry at their girlfriends for flirting in front of other guys, but to get angry at Colette for petting a dog is really overdoing it!" Gil looked at his son with a cocked eyebrow, staring Lloyd up and down like he had grown an extra head.

"But it's true though," Lloyd ranted, his fists clenching and his face flushing red, "I value Colette as a person, a friend, and even more. I only ask for the same in return from her, but she'd rather pay attention to that old woman than me. What does she have that I don't? Does she know what Colette went through in that lifeless state? All she does is brandishing her wallet and showing off her dog, she knows nothing about Colette!" He slammed his hands onto the mattress like twin meteors slamming into the earth.

Gil shrugged. "You're absolutely right. But hearing your response, I say you don't know a lot about Colette either. At least, not enough to know when to back off and let her have her space," Gil stated bluntly, his eyes turning back to the laptop.

Lloyd shot up, confusion, shock, and anger materialized and disappeared one by one through his face. "What do you mean I don't know?" he retorted defiantly, whipping his thumb at his own face while staring at Gil accusingly, "Colette's my girlfriend and we love each other dearly. What did I do wrong here?"

Gil returned the glare, a stern but serene look in his eyes. "You obviously don't know what it means to love someone. If you and Colette are to spend more time together, then you should learn to work with each other's mistakes, rather than magnify them and condemn each other for them. Part of love involves tolerating and helping each other with these mistakes, whether you two like it or not. How do you think Anna and I got along, even when our occupations have little in common?" Gil explained patiently.

The anger from Lloyd's face melted like ice cubes in drinks on the beach. His posture relaxed, his expression neutral as he mulled over Gil's words, wondering if there was some overreaction at the beach. Sure he shouldn't have blown it out of proportion, but what guarantee did Colette have that ensured she would pay more attention to him? "I guess we have to work it out, don't we?" Lloyd murmured, eyes not looking up.

"Give her another chance, just to see what she's really thinking," Gil suggested, his attention now alternating between the screen and his son, "It could just be that she's a dog fanatic, as you observed from her throughout her entire life, or it could be that she just isn't ready or willing to discuss the relationship with you. But if you really want her to change her attitude on this, then I think you ought to be more tolerant and patient with her. I suggest a date of some sort, where you two can discuss this by yourselves and come to a conclusion. I'm sure you can work it out," Gil finished with a wink.

Lloyd racked his brain, considering Gil's words carefully. Slowly, a smile crept across Lloyd's face, as the lovesick teenager had the perfect solution. "I'll just hang out with Colette like we used to tomorrow. Then I'll invite her out on a date the night after that, just to talk to her. I'll try to work it out, because I love her too much to hurt her."

Gil smiled. "That's all we can ask for, Lloyd. That's all we can ask for," he replied. With that, he turned off his laptop and pulled up his covers. Lloyd then reached up and snapped off the lights, his mind fresh with ideas on how to repair the battered relationship. Somehow, he would make them become a perfect couple again.

* * *

And that last scene was meant to portray Gil's fatherly side again. I thought it's a good way to make Lloyd bond with him again after those ten years of being a mole. Thanks for reading!


	6. Changing Directions

Thanks to **I.K.A. Valian** and **Poet Bucky **for reviewing last chapter and editing parts of this chapter. I've decided to make a break from TOS and TCTU canon and throw in my own twist here. So you're going to see another attack supposedly relating to at least one of the crimes, and a change in the investigation based on the evidence.

As well, the chapter will generally be of a slower pace, as I want to focus on my theme of "being placed on a pedestal" and clearing parts of the struggling Colloyd here. There won't be as much action or weird investigation (AKA less Gil), so I hope you don't mind.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"Well, what have we got?" Lieutenant Arnold stepped into the forensics unit, where the staff busily filed through the security tapes obtained from the hotel. Knowing that the tapes had significant evidence to break through the case, Arnold ordered these to be placed on priority, and be analyzed before anything else that day. As the two analysts adjusted the time and observed the screen, Arnold could only clasp his hands before his mouth, furrowing his brow as he stared intently ahead.

"This is the tape from the day of the murder, just shortly after the police arrived to investigate the supermodel case," the male analyst replied. He was a balding man wearing a dark lab coat and dark-rimmed glasses, and had his palm wrapped tightly on the mouse of the computer. "About two hours after the deceased returned to his room, Assistant District Attorney Murdoch showed up and was invited in. And that was all that the hall camera caught, but it's consistent with her testimony."

Arnold nodded, biting his lower lip in anticipation. "Any information on when she left the room, or what she did while inside?" he asked, his hands nervously massaging his cheeks. The dim room made it so that the only light came from the projector, and the figures from the paused image only made Arnold more uncomfortable, knowing that whatever went on between the two could turn the entire case around.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any tapes from inside the room, so that remains a mystery. And as for when she left, we'll just fast forward the tape," the female analyst explained as she reached for the mouse on the video from the elevator camera. She was younger than her male partner, with wavy red hair and determined eyes. "We can see that she stayed in there for about two hours, having entered the elevator just before seven."

Arnold sighed. Plopping a folder at an adjacent desk, he rifled through the notes taken by the officer recording the testimony and looked for any relevant details. The dark room made it difficult for the lieutenant to see the words, as he had to bend over and squint hard, casting a humped back silhouette on the screen. The two analysts looked on in silence, wondering what their superior thought as they stared emotionlessly onward.

Finally, Arnold lifted his head, only to shake it at his analysts. "The testimony took us right back to the beginning, as Mrs. Murdoch did say she only stayed for two hours, and left for home after that," he reported, "What did Masako do next?"

"Masako supposedly went out for dinner, and returned at eight-thirty, half an hour before Sheena Fujibyashi was supposed to come up," the female analyst described as they moved the tape to the correct time. On the screen featuring the elevator, it showed the doors opening, revealing the familiar figure of the Lezareno unit manager striding out.

"Again, consistent with the testimonies," Arnold muttered as he read through another page, "The hotel manager said that the only person he saw during time of death was Sheena, and so far the tapes prove that she's the only one to go into that room at the time." Arnold again rubbed his face, the chips finally falling into place and pointing back to Sheena, "Did she leave the room at the supposed time?" he asked in fatigue.

The male analyst nodded, focusing on the hallway tape as it showed Sheena step into the room, followed by Childress, who merely dropped off a cart loaded with light snacks and a wine bottle before he took off. Within minutes, Sheena rush out of the room, hurried and afraid. "Again, what went on inside was unknown, but she did rush out at around the time of death," he concluded, pointing at the screen.

"And Childress did show up at the hotel room afterwards," his partner chimed in, "He said he entered the room to find the body, and promptly called the police." The tape showed exactly what was described, with Childress moving through the door, followed by a period of no action. It ended with Childress running out of the room and into the elevator, returning with police later. "We viewed the tapes of the other two days as well, and the two other ladies also showed up and left, never to appear in another tape. And all those tapes were consistent with the logs," she completed the analysis report.

But Arnold wasn't convinced, as something about Childress' entrance irked him. Rubbing his chin like he had dripped sauce onto it, he instructed the analysts to rewind the tape. "Watch for how many minutes passed until he steps out," he told them.

Three sets of eyes shot darts into the timer on the screen as they viewed the tape, the numbers flashing by like neon lights. The digits kept changing as they waited for Childress to step out, a dead silence descending onto the room while they concentrated hard. Finally, the hotel manager showed his face in the hallway again, and the male analyst stopped the tape. "It's about fifteen minutes," he responded, scribbling it down.

"So Childress spent fifteen minutes in that room. But yet, according to his first testimony, he only went in there for a quick check, and phoned the police upon finding the body. What could he have been doing in there for so long?" Arnold asked, his eyes flashing in excitement as they unravelled the new lead like a long lost treasure.

"But there's no tape of what went on inside the room," the male analyst pointed out, trying to bring his superior back down to earth, "He could have done something fishy, but he could also be resuscitating the body. We have no clue as to what went on in there."

"But we can use the forensic evidence already available to put together a possible story," Arnold reminded the two, pacing around the room as a paintball battle of thoughts raged through his brain, "We must analyze the deceased's clothing and check if he's been touched and in which way, be it violence or rescue. We also have to check the wine bottle, the supposed weapon, and see it there's anything on there that can give us more hints. And lastly, we need to go back to that hotel and get confirmations from both Mr. Childress and Miss Fujibyashi to their stories. We can't mess this one up, guys."

* * *

Arnold spun on his heel to look at the analysts, who stared back at him as if he was a circus performer. Unimpressed, Arnold placed his hands on his hips and glared at the analysts angrily. "What are you waiting for? Get moving!" he barked.

"Welcome," a middle-aged, balding man with a sandy, pencil moustache said in calm, collected, and clear tone amidst clicking cameras and scribbling pencils. "My name is William Hunter and I am the manager of Anderson Auction House. I have two announcements, the first of which is about the death of our model, Candice Shallow. The police have concluded it to be an accident. Anderson's fully cooperates with the law and has had all employees related to or near the incident give a full testimony to the police. We want this case brought to a close as soon possible."

Pausing to eye the crowd, the manager continued his speech. "The next piece of news is that we will proceed with the auction for the Heart of Balacruf. The last auction was interrupted when Miss Shallow fell to her death in the back stairs of the hotel, but we are intent on selling it regardless. My colleagues are contacting all the VIP's and guests that showed up at the last auction. We will be inviting as many of them back as possible."

Instantly, several voices shouted questions at once, creating a series of incoherent noises. Hunter maintained composure even as the press jousted with their recorders and cameras. Sensing the lack of control, the auction staff raised their arms and pleaded for order. As the volume died down, Hunter pointed to one man in the middle. "Do you expect everyone back, or will it just be those interested?" the reporter asked.

"The auction will go on with as many of the invited people present as possible," the manager replied, nodding his head astutely, "The public will be invited to watch, but will not be allowed to participate unless they have at least the base price."

Another raised hand was addressed. The female reporter shoved her glasses back onto her nose before asking. "What will the base price be for this second auction?" she queried, her pencil pressing onto her notepad like trying to drive a screw into a hard wooden board.

"We will increase the minimum bid for the necklace from three million dollars to four million dollars, based on the recent events alone," the manager answered with a half-smirk. From his place in the front, he could see looks of awe from the press as they recorded the value, a sense of pride swelling inside him.

Hunter reached for a glass of water as he pointed to another journalist, this time one at the back. "It seems like with all the events of the past few days, it might not be as appropriate to remarket the necklace as is. What's the true intention for the auction's timing?" the young man questioned, tapping his pencil on his chin.

The manager chuckled, tilting his back slightly and taking the question more like a joke. Leaning forward, he stared into the young man's eyes. "With its already colourful history, and the supposed continuation of the so-called curse, why not resell it at this moment?" he retorted rhetorically. "The unfortunate death of our model has only increased the lore surrounding it, and therefore its demand."

The attention was brought back to the front, as a male reporter with a husky voice asked about the absence of a model. "From your last press conference, you made it clear that Candice Shallow is the only model that can bring out the true beauty of this necklace. But now that she's dead, did you have another model in mind? If not, will there be time to have models audition for the auction?" He demanded, his eyes round like saucers.

The manager smiled, his eyes zeroing in on the journalist. "Whether a model is present for this auction will not be a factor. We garnered so much interest from across Altamira and the world that we can auction the necklace off without one. Just look at all the people we got calls from and you'll know." With that, Hunter whipped out a sheet and listed off names like runners in a track meet. All of them had wealthy connotations, as they were either successful business owners or corporate and commercial giants.

Immediately, pencils scraped papers and notepads, camera bulbs flashed and shutters clicked, and low-pitch chatter swirled about the room. As the list was folded and slipped into the manager's suit jacket pocket, he stared back at the crowd, his unwavering gaze scanning the reporters with their heads down like scavengers. "We have time for one more question," he announced, licking his lips as he waited somewhat impatiently.

Finally, a shorter female reporter with auburn hair stuck up her hand. "It seems like, with all these deaths happening, and the so-called curse being a centrepiece of the necklace, there may still be some uneasiness with buyers on what potential dangers may lie ahead. But it's also because of this necklace's lore that the auction group plans to pull up the price. Knowing that this can both be a good thing and a bad thing, what can you say to the public to inform them of the consequences of owning such a jewel?" she asked.

Suddenly, the entire room was silent as the journalists looked on in bewilderment. With only the sounds of breathing present, sounding like the waves splashing against the sand, Hunter stared intently at the petite woman. Clearing his throat, he leaned up to the microphone. "Are you asking if history will repeat itself, and that another death is imminent?" he retorted monotonously.

The question hung in the air like an invisible menace ready to pounce. After some thought, the female reporter weakly nodded. She was terrified of the incoming response from the manager. Hunter held the microphone closely to him and stated in an airy tone, "The history of this jewel is certainly impressive, and only in the future will we know how its story continues. But I guarantee you whatever history it will be involved in, it cannot and will not be of the ordinary. And that is why, with or without a model, we've decided to re-auction it tomorrow, with as many of the VIP's as possible," he concluded.

The press conference did not go unnoticed by Gil and friends, who were in the hotel dining hall having breakfast as it played out on the morning news. It brought forth a range of expressions: from shock due to the insatiable nature of the auction group to milk money and profits, to anger that the manager seemed almost disrespectfully putting Candy's life aside, to disgust that there were still people buying this necklace because of its so-called colourful history. But each group member had one thought in common: to whoever that bought this jewel, the ending was bound to be ugly.

* * *

"This is ludicrous," Raine spat, twin arrows aimed at the television screen, "All they care about it to sell the jewel off for the highest price, and not a single thing was done to comment on its cultural significance," she concluded as she angrily tore into her piece of toast.

At the table adjacent to Raine's, Zelos nodded his head solemnly, but a fume was plastered right across his face. "I agree, but it's the disregard for their late model that's most unscrupulous," he stated, his arms crossed and his back leaned flat against the chair, "I may not call Candy a friend anymore, but even I respect the dead, and won't push her unfinished projects forward that quickly. It's a shame what money does to people."

Sitting across from Zelos, Sheena also mulled over the news report, and couldn't help but think back to Masako. True, whatever lifestyle Masako led after they left high school was no longer her business, but at the very least she still cherished all the great times they had together. "Part of my reconciliation with Masako is to remember all the positives, and I can see you trying to do the same with Candy," she softly told Zelos, "But the auction group is just going way too far with this."

But the one least surprised by this latest turn of events also happened to be the one sitting closest to the television. Gilbert Irving calmly cut a piece of pancake loose and dabbed some syrup before bringing the fluffy object to his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, he pointed his fork to Lloyd and gave his take on the issue. "I'm not too surprised that they did it, because this is what human nature is all about," he told his son, "Shock value has become the most important thing in our society, and all the bloodshed for that thing is irrelevant compared to how valuable it is. In fact, it's because of this idea that the more blood there is on the necklace, the more it sells for. Why else will they market like that?"

Lloyd cocked his eyebrow, his usual bottomless stomach suddenly closing itself. "How could you say that? Surely life is important than anything else!" he exclaimed, "I heard all those stories regarding the Reunification, and how my namesake fought to have deaths minimized, but now we're saying lives are worthless?"

Gil shrugged, turning his shoulder to face Lloyd in a side-stare. "In many cases, it's accurate to say that the shock value of a jewel's history and its selling price are in direct correlation with each other. When there's such a valuable and unusual object in play, there's no way you can tear the people's attention away from it," he explained.

Lloyd winced, writhing unhappily like he was sitting on a boiling stove. "But still, it's not right that they disregard a human life like that. The auction is wrong to focus on the sale, and the people are wrong to saturate this with all their attention," he insisted.

Gil shrugged, calmly taking a sip of grape juice. "Maybe it's because I was a mole for so long that I can read into these thoughts so well, but my experience tells me that once something has been placed on a pedestal, people will tend to ignore all its flaws and glorify its positives, no matter how superficial or insignificant they are," Gil could feel silence descend upon his table as several sets of eyes tilted his way, "Once people have their faith set on something, they'll rarely if ever change that belief, even if it's illogical, unfounded, and unjustified. And more often than not, it's led to disaster. Just look at our history and you'll know exactly what I mean," Gil concluded with a nod.

"You make it sound like these people aren't educated enough to recognize the problem with that," Colette pointed out. Unlike their usual breakfasts, Colette wasn't directly adjacent to Lloyd. Rather, Lloyd purposely kept a distance from her today, making the blonde feel rather distant. Glancing past Lloyd like a barrier, she continued, "These participants are wealthy, well-to-do people who have ample experience in the world. Surely they would be more sensible and reasonable than that, right?"

Gil shook his head, piercing eyes staring at Colette like trying to see into her soul. "Rich people are human too, and they yearn for things that glorify them. Issues like pride, hubris, and arrogance all play a part here. Of course, there are exceptions. Just look at Regal Bryant, who has been pretty low key, choosing to serve his community rather than glorify his status. But otherwise, they're all the same. Just look at the reasons behind the necklace's creation by that Balacruf king and you know why," he stated strongly.

On the table's other side, Frank Brunel, the archaeologist, nodded his head in agreement. "The necklace was created during the heyday of the Balacruf Dynasty, and the king hired the best jewellery designers to help him make it. It's meant for his queen to showcase all the riches and glory the kingdom was receiving during this time. So in a way, Gil's argument is logically sound," he described to his daughter.

The eyes were turned back to the former mole, whose tone now grew deathly serious. "The king was already on a pedestal when he thought about the jewel, so the necklace was his way of keeping him on that pedestal, by showing the world what his kingdom was all about. The necklace was inevitably placed on its pedestal by the rich classes from the following years, who were seeking to place themselves higher on their own pedestals as well. Put it all together throughout the years, and it's nothing more than a romanticized legend on an overhyped jewel. Even this so-called curse about the women dying after wearing it is nothing more than a tool to elevate the status of the jewel and the one who wears it," he concluded with a cynical tinge.

"And can I add something to that?" Phoebe chimed in, sticking her head between the two, "I've been a nurse for almost twenty years, and I've seen how some patients, when they're on their death beds, invite their entire families in for a final moment. But instead of celebrating their loved one's life, some members chose to squabble over how much they would get after the patient died, leading to unnecessary arguments in the room and destroying the sole purpose they were there. Knowing how many deaths this Heart of Balacruf went through, and how many people still pursued it, I can honestly say that there is something really wrong about these peoples' values," she analyzed firmly.

"But it can't be helped though, because once a person gets put on the pedestal, it becomes increasingly harder to want to get off, as they truly feel they're deserving of the patronage," Gil added, his eyes jumping back and forth between his son and the Brunels like a metronome, "Once the arrogance becomes a part of them, it's like a mask. It makes them blind to the world and reality. All they see is the glory that having such a rare jewel will bring them, it's really sad actually," the former mole clacked his tongue in disgust.

Gil glanced at his table's occupants and all had their heads down. None of them seemed to be hunger anymore, as the stories were all to disturbing for their stomachs. Was it true that a simple jewel could drive even the most educated and sophisticated of people to beasts with insatiable appetites for power? Was this what went through the minds of all those that had contact with the necklace throughout history? And in this upcoming auction, would it be possible to see this history repeat itself?

But their thoughts were shattered as a certain silver-haired female half-elf pushed her chair back. "I'm hoping to speak with Leonard today about this auction, and find out what's going on behind this," Raine said with determination, "It's not like him, a history lover, to sit on his hands and let this happen, so I want to know who's responsible!"

"Relax, Raine, he's probably not the one in charge of making that decision," Lynn chastised her granddaughter calmly, "It's the auction head that was announcing these things, so if anyone had to call that shot, it's probably him."

Raine was about to retort when Gil suddenly got up, grabbed his crutches and limped to her. "Actually, would you go visit those guys? I'm sure Leonard will be more than willing to entertain you. Once there, though, I have a few things that I'm hoping you could raise for me, since I agreed to hang out with Lloyd today," he explained, winking at his still seated son. "Shall we discuss this outside?"

* * *

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Yancey is currently very busy, so I don't think he'll speak with any visitors for now," the secretary rejected Raine at the front desk, leaving the half-elf in shock. Raine was under the assumption that since Leonard was most likely against the idea of selling the necklace, he would probably hold some silent protest in his office and not take on any work, so to hear that he was busy really surprised Raine.

"Just tell him it's a friend," Raine insisted, her frustration level mimicking the outside temperature as the sunlight tried blowing its way through the mostly drawn blinds in the office, "We've spoken to each other at least three times, and each time we discussed some very important issues on history. Surely he has free time today, yes?" Raine's lips twitched as she keyed her intimidating stare into the secretary.

Feeling the heat from Raine more than that of the glaring sun outside, the young lady tried to reassure the half-elf, but to no avail. The secretary's hand inched closer to the phone, contemplating whether security should be called. Just as the argument reached a boiling point, the two were saved by the bell as the bespectacled man slipped out of his office. "Raine, I didn't expect you to be here," he greeted her with a bewildered look.

"Leonard, they said you were busy with the auction, and you won't entertain any visitors. I'm just wanted to discuss history with you, is that too much?" Raine demanded, her hands on her hips, temper still flaring as she stared fiercely at the secretary.

"Well, I do have some issues to resolve, mainly on inviting all the VIP's from last time back to the auction, but I can give you a couple of minutes," Leonard replied with a smile. Signalling to the secretary, he requested her to prepare two cups of coffee.

But Raine was about to have none of that. "That's quite alright," she stopped the shorter woman before she could even climb out from her desk, the mountain of papers rustling as her body lifted off the desktop, "We can get it ourselves. It'd be good for us to take a walk anyway," Raine suggested, a genuinely sincere expression on her face.

Before the secretary could even react, Raine and Leonard marched out of the office and into the halls, going through the maze of desks and cubicles before entering the staff lounge. Raine reached for the coffee pot while Leonard grabbed the cups. "Do you want cream or sugar, or maybe both, in your coffee?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"Just sugar is fine," Leonard replied, returning the smile as he placed the cups on the counter. Raine poured the dark liquid into the cups, handing the jewellery expert one before moving to a nearby table and sitting down in a huff. Seeing her unhappy mood, Leonard decided to strike up a conversation. "So what do you want to discuss today?"

"Well, it's just that you have the auction group that wants to sell the Heart of Balacruf as quickly as possible, even claiming to use the recent death as publicity," Raine explained, "But I know from our talks that someone as passionate about these artefacts as you won't take it lightly. So I thought I'd come see how you're doing."

Leonard shrugged. "Our boss said felt it best we deal with it now, given that we still have the VIP's contacts, and can get the highest price with the recent events. Of course I'm not happy with the decision, but there's really not much I can do about it, since it's their call," Leonard conceded, sighing as he rubbed his coffee for comfort, "I think we should let the entire Candy fiasco settle first before we proceed, but their words are that they needed to make money and not worry about these distractions."

Immediately, a loud bang could be heard as the meteor known as Raine's cup slammed into the planet table. "This isn't how an invaluable jewel with that much history behind it should be treated. And I thought they disrespected the model's life, but this is going overboard!" she ranted, her hands shaking in rage, "I thought you'd be at least raising some opposition to this, how can you take it so lightly?" she demanded.

Leonard put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm pretty angry at some of the things that happened in the past few days as well, but there's really nothing I can do, since it's Mr. Hunter and the board's decision," he explained, slightly fuming, "Besides, we shouldn't hold grudges against those that don't value the necklace for they're really supposed to represent." Just as he said this, his head whipped aside, his eyes turning away from Raine.

Raine tilted her head slightly and saw Leonard clenching a fist as well; making her wonder if the same angry thoughts, or maybe more, were going through his mind. But any signs of his anger soon dissipated as Leonard turned to face Raine again. The twinkle in his eyes outshined the lounge lighting as they captivated Raine's attention. "Why don't we go back into my office and discuss what you're really interested in?" he suggested, his chair scraping back, "I'm sure you want to see some first-hand research material I had from my several years of research into the Heart of Balacruf, no?"

Raine gladly agreed, the wide grin returning to her face as they headed back. She was so at ease with a topic in her field that any rage she contained when she first came in dissipated into the air like the steam in her coffee. She even thanked the secretary when she passed her by while going into Leonard's office.

Always the gentlemen, the bespectacled man opened the door for Raine, waiting for the half-elf to go through before closing it behind him. He moved behind his desk and eased into his executive's chair. "So, what should we start with?" Leonard asked as he leaned back on the soft, comfy chair, hot drink still in hand.

Raine smirked as she sat across from him. "I say anything is fine, as long as it's about the jewel and nothing else," she answered, sipping her coffee comfortably.

"Very well then," Leonard responded, gently placing the cup down as he reached for the mouse. Raine leaned her head forward just in time to catch a glimpse of Leonard's screen saver, and the images truly shocked her. Keeping it to herself, she listened on with intent as Leonard went through the details, her attention span only halfway on the screen as she pondered what explanation the jewellery expert might have on those pictures.

* * *

"So that's what happened there," Gil nodded his head as Raine updated him on the information she gathered at Leonard's office. After an exciting morning at the auction building, Raine rejoined the group in the afternoon on a tour of the Otherworldly Gate, the former point in which Sylvarant and Tethe'alla were connected to each other when the worlds were still split. But since Reunification, the point had become a major tourist attraction and point of historical studies, especially into that time period.

"From the screen saver and those photos alone, I say there's something peculiar with Leonard," Raine stated, her eyes glancing around nervously, in fear of someone in their group overhearing them. Gil made Raine promise this to be a private investigation, and that only the two of them would know about it. So it was only now, at dinner time, in a small table separate from the group, with Raine all relaxed from going crazy at the auction building in the morning and excited at learning the history of the Otherworldly Gate in the afternoon, that Gil approached her for a report.

"I can't tell you whether this might be crucial in the outcome of the supermodel case yet, but at the very least I can tell police to keep a closer watch on him," Gil replied exasperatedly, "There are just too many factors involved right now, and I don't have the big picture yet. But it's possible that Leonard isn't telling the full story."

Raine nodded, mulling over her actions today. It was true that with the morning meeting, Leonard and Raine bonded somewhat by their mutual interest in historical and cultural studies, but to hear that Leonard might be hiding something in an important case was truly alarming. What other secrets had Leonard purposely hid from her? Was he trying to hide the true killer who pushed Candy off the stairs, or maybe he did it himself? All those thoughts combined into a storm's vortex, swirling threateningly in her mind.

But the vortex in her mind was suddenly shattered when Lynn called over, telling Gil and Raine that their food just arrived. Slowly lifting herself up, Raine trudged her way back to the main table, with Gil following closely behind. But even as Raine took her seat, Gil was hesitant, with his eyes slowly aiming their way to the far end of the dining hall and into the bar. There was the familiar tan-skinned bartender blending in so well with the kegs, but a suspicious figure also stepped up, and engaged the young man in a rather intense conversation. "Childress," Gil murmured under his breath.

Gil eased his way onto his chair, his eyes still shooting laser beams at the hotel manager near the bar. By now, the bartender was almost frustrated, raising his hands in surrender and trying to assure Childress of his cooperation. Childress, meanwhile, jabbed his finger onto the bar like a woodpecker and made some forceful demands, all of which were observed by Gil, despite the inaudible tone. The former mole was so absorbed into the action that he didn't even notice a slight tap on his shoulder. "Dad?"

Gil jolted out of his stance and whipped his head around, catching his son's worried expression. "You alright? You seem so concentrated earlier and now you're all jumpy," Lloyd observed, "Aren't you going to eat something?" he pointed at the plate.

Gil's head nodded choppily as he hesitantly took a seat. "So, uh, how did your thing go with Colette?" he asked, taking occasional sneak peeks at the bar.

Lloyd nodded, his mood seemed to be edging back to positive. "Actually, it was Colette who approached me first, and I just told her what I wanted to say…"

_"Lloyd, can I talk to you?" Colette asked meekly as they toured the pillars of rock at the Otherworldly Gate. Colette was originally with the group, intermingling with other tourists and snapping up pictures with her cameras. But amidst all the sounding of clicks and whirls, Lloyd had wandered off, straying a distance away and stood on the edge of the island, staring into the distance in deep thought. Even earlier in the day, Colette knew that Lloyd had isolated himself from her. This was truly out-of-character for him, as they had been relatively close ever since the Aurion tree was planted. Intent on finding out what was going on, Colette gathered her resolve and confronted her boyfriend._

_Lloyd could feel the blonde standing next to him eyeing him with suspicious yet concerned eyes. He kept his head turned away, taking a deep breath to keep his anger in his stomach and continuing his train of thought as he stood alone facing the oceans stretching into the horizon. Together, the twosome distinctly stuck out on the edge, the signs of a frayed relationship subtlety signified by their opposing poses._

_Colette, however, wasn't about to let up. Knowing that something was bothering Lloyd, she positioned herself even closer to him and spoke to him directly. "Lloyd, I want to know why you're avoiding me all day," she demanded, "What happened to you?"_

_The spiky-haired teen twitched a bit, his hands slightly clenching themselves. "I could ask you the same question, what happened to you?" Lloyd retorted, still not facing her. His shoulders tensed up, quivering and slightly twitching up and down as he spoke, "Back on the beach, when my dad was interrogating that lady with the dog, you got all obsessed with that dog and totally ignored me. What did you do that for?"_

_"I…I didn't ignore you," Colette stammered, "I was talking with you about what type of dog we wanted for our future when…" then it hit her. When she spoke with Lloyd about their future, they were in an embracing position, and she recalled they were about to kiss each other. But suddenly, her attention was siphoned off by the golden retriever, and left Lloyd standing awkwardly by himself. In fact, it wasn't until after Gil threatened to send the dog to the police that she snapped her attention back._

_Suddenly, Colette felt a sense of panic and remorse. Never in her life did she realize that her reaction to her favourite animal directly harmed the one she loved the most. "Oh no, I'm so sorry, Lloyd, I never realized that…"_

_That caused more negative reaction from Lloyd, as he marched a few steps away from Colette, further distancing him from her. Part of him wanted to unleash all his anger, but his heart told him to ease up and not permanently damage his already tattered relationship with Colette. Colette, seeing Lloyd's pose, immediately stopped talking, and stared at her boyfriend with a look of concern. The brisk winds blowing in from the sea complemented their current state perfectly as the taller figure turned his back against the shorter one, who did her best to relight the warm fire that kindled between them._

_Lloyd bit his lower lip hard, trying to hold in any harsh words for Colette. "You really hurt me back there, you know that?" he stated, a hesitant anger in his tone, "I can't believe you'd disregard our entire relationship for a dog." A grimace slowly emerged onto Lloyd's face, which he hid from Colette, as not to hurt her even more. He bottled the frustration like a can of shaken soda, ready to burst at any second. But for his girlfriend's sake, he was willing to hold it in for her, all to let her have her voice heard._

_From Colette's angle, just the tremors on Lloyd's shoulders were already a signal that things had gone horribly wrong. Her heart pounded hard, nearly shattering her ribs, and her hands grew ice cold from both the winds and her nervousness. "Lloyd, I really didn't know. I am sorry. Is there anything you could let me say…"_

_But Lloyd raised a hand to silence her. "I don't want to talk about it here, not with all these people around. Colette, I love you too much to let you be embarrassed like that, so we'll deal with this privately. How about tomorrow evening, we…"_

Gil was impressed by the way his son handled the situation. "Remember, you have to concede some of your points as well if you want this to work out. There's no true compromise if you're forcing her to do things your way," he pointed out. "But I do have one request though: if you are going for tomorrow night, can I ask a favour of you two?"

Lloyd nodded silently. "I'll take full responsibility for my actions, and if Colette truly values our relationship, and I know she does, she will too. I know we can work this out," he decided with resolve, "What do you want us to do?"

"Well, they told me that the new auction for the Heart of Balacruf will be at five o'clock tomorrow, and I plan to attend as an observer. So I was hoping…" Gil described his proposal to his son, taking his eyes off the bar as Childress quietly slipped out of the dining hall, leaving a dejected and irritated bartender glaring at his superior.

* * *

"Mr. Childress, what a surprise!" Sheena exclaimed. It was already nine o'clock, and Sheena and Zelos were getting ready for bed when a knock came on Sheena's door. The red-haired mole looked on from the connecting door between the two rooms as the Mizuho native answered, only to see the hotel manager standing before them with a cart.

"Yes, I've prepared a little something for you two, as our way of apologizing for the wait you had to go through to get your room back," Childress explained, the famous fake charming smile on his face as he tried to ease the cart around Sheena. The Mizuho native was in a basketball triple-threat defence pose, doing everything she could to block Childress from bowling her over, "We hope that you and Mr. Wilder can accept this as a compensation for our ineffectiveness. Besides, you also just got out from the police after you were cleared in the investigations, so you should take this as a celebratory occasion."

Sheena saw the wine and snacks on the cart, and all fluid drained from her head. Staring her mime-coloured face into the hotel manager, she could only shake her head weakly. "N-no thanks, we're really not hungry," she stuttered, her hand grabbing the door, partially to close it, but also to balance herself, "You remember what happened last time you offered me a midnight snack, especially with wine, right?"

But Childress pushed on, managing to wedge the cart between Sheena's side and the doorframe, making her twist around just to avoid being rammed. From his position, Zelos could see the awkward struggle and couldn't help but intervene. "Hey, she already said she didn't want anything, so knock it off!" Zelos snapped, charging into the fray. He grabbed the cart with his free right hand, pushing back and keeping it away from Sheena.

Seeing he was outnumbered, Childress released the cart, letting it roll into the room before backing out himself. "I'll just leave this, and you two can decide what you want to do with it," he stated, clutching the door from the other side, "I'll have someone come pick it up later on. Goodnight!" Childress exclaimed frantically before slamming it shut.

That left Sheena and Zelos staring awkwardly at each other, with Sheena still dazed at the cart's presence. As she slowly regained balance, Zelos sought to comfort her. "I know what you're thinking, and I know what this means. Just don't think about it, alright?" he suggested, grabbing her hand as he lifted her to her feet, "I found that guy a bit unnerving as well, but just leave it untouched if you don't feel comfortable. I'm sure the other staff will come pick it up later on," Zelos stated, patting her shoulder reassuringly.

Sheena nodded, taking deep breaths to calm herself as Zelos stepped through the side door. He left it ajar just to hear Sheena better should she be in need of assistance. After about five minutes of leaning helplessly against the wall, Sheena realized that the best way to take her attention away from the wine bottle was to not see it at all. Gaining some energy, she leapt like a leopard and headed for her bag, where she quickly changed into her sleepwear and jumped into bed. She could hear the water turning on in Zelos' room, and guessed that he was probably washing up before sleeping. "Stupid Childress, what's he doing bringing that in here?" Sheena muttered as she squeezed her eyes shut.

Sheena soon fell into a deep slumber, the image of Childress pushing the cart into the room fading from her mind. As she rested comfortably, Zelos also stepped out of the bathroom in his room. He took a peek into through the partly opened door, making sure Sheena was alright, before slipping into bed himself. Like Sheena, he was set on easing his mind of the events from the past few days, and helping Sheena along the way too.

But unlike Sheena, Zelos couldn't get any shuteye. Somewhere in his mind, there was something in the last hour that didn't seem right. The thought of Childress bullying his way into Sheena's room, forcing the wine and snacks onto her, and then sneaking out just as Zelos went in. All those were eerily similar to Sheena's story in Masako's room just before she was assaulted. Perhaps Childress had seen or heard something in that room that could be crucial to the case? "What is he hiding?" Zelos wondered aloud.

Zelos tossed to his side, his eyes staring into the dark room. Other than a sliver of light from the half closed connection door, it was a cavern. "Wait, why's there a light in her room?" Zelos murmured. He slowly slid off the bed and crept up to the door, pressing his face gently against the door and looking in. The dim light slowly narrowed to a thin line as Sheena's door was being closed, but not completely. Zelos had to squint into the pitch-black room to see a silhouette holding a baton-like object lumbering like a bear in a cave towards its prey. Zelos nearly choked on his breath as he observed in fear, knowing full well that the still-snoring Sheena might be breathing her last breath.

Realizing he was the only one who could prevent damage, Zelos kicked the side door open and barged in. "Sheena, watch out!" he shouted, lunging at the attacker. With his left hand still in a cast, Zelos had to fight handicapped, using his right hand to grab the object before it crashed onto Sheena's head. The intruder was somewhat surprised by the move, staggering off as Zelos slammed in. Trying to gain position on the assailant, Zelos twisted the person around and towards the door, taking harm away from Sheena.

The Mizuho native was aroused by the noise, and looked up to see two struggling silhouettes battling in the room. The two dark shadows shoved and pushed each other, with grunts and yells being let out. Suddenly, the person closer to her was elbowed by the other, losing balance and slamming into the bed and her stomach.

Letting out a yelp in pain, Sheena immediately reached up for the light switch, flipping it on to hopefully catch a glimpse of the attacker. The lamps' flash was just in time to let Sheena see Zelos lying on his back on her bed, his red hair obstructing most of her view. The standing figure, seeing the disadvantage, took the chance to escape. In one smooth action, the wine bottle was slammed onto Zelos' left hand, shattering the white cast as Zelos screamed in agony. The redhead clad only in white boxer briefs collapsed onto Sheena, clutching his wrist and banging the back of his head onto her chin. It caused Sheena to writhe in pain as well, as she grabbed her face and tried easing the head away.

The squirming Zelos effectively blocked Sheena's vision, as the mysterious figure took the chance to bolt out the door. By the time the two regained some mobility on their bodies, all they could see was the open front door and a view of the halls. The attacker was gone from the room, leaving the cart overturned and the snacks littered all over the floor. From Sheena's position, the mess resembled a war zone, a fairly accurate portrayal given the battle that nearly cost Sheena her life. Looking at her saviour, Sheena gasped as Zelos still winced in pain, with snowflake-like pieces of plaster and powder sprinkled all over the end of the bed. "Are you alright, Zelos?" she meekly asked.

Zelos turned his head around, the pain from his wrist spreading through his arm like wildfire. His mind was dominated by the throbbing sensation from his hand that he couldn't even talk, and only mustered a small nod. Still hyperventilating herself, Sheena put a hand on the redhead's bare shoulder, trying to pull him around to see the damage done. "Let go of your wrist for a second. Let me take a look," Sheena insisted, her hand still shaking in fear as she grabbed Zelos' right arm.

The redhead had no energy left to protest as Sheena reached across to the left forearm and pulled the wrist closer. Already a red tinge cracked through the thin white powder of the cast's remains. Sheena's digits slowly made their way down, but even before reaching the wrist, Zelos already hissed in pain. This caused Sheena to jolt her hand away. "You need medical attention, fast," she decided, releasing the hand.

With Zelos still looking on, Sheena grabbed the phone and dialled 9-1-1. "Hello police, we have an emergency here. We need officers and a medic to come…"

* * *

And yes, in case you're wondering, that was I.K.A. making another cameo (albeit silent) in this chapter. He will be part of the twist that I'm pulling. For more information on this and how it'll affect the case, tune in next time...


	7. Second Auction, Second Chances

Only **Poet Bucky** reviewed, as **I.K.A. Valian** said he was busy. I kind of expected this, as most people should be going back to school now, and schedules are getting increasingly busy (and so is mine).

There will be a cocktail of factors in play here: Gil does more investigation and gets even crazier inspiration for clues, Colloyd will try to resolve itself, the Heart of Balacruf is auctioned a second time, and Genis' belly button makes another interesting appearance. Get ready for this wild ride!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

Men and women in uniform buzzed around Sheena's room like bees, hovering near the turned-over cart and the bed, documenting all the items of interest. Thanks to Sheena's quick action, a paramedic also arrived to check on Zelos, as they threw a light-coloured bathrobe over his body and whisked him down to the waiting ambulance. While waiting for her friend to return, Sheena gave her testimony to police.

"So you were pretty much asleep during the entire time, and didn't really see any attacker until Mr. Wilder jumped into the room and blocked the wine bottle from hitting your head. Is that correct?" the officer asked. He was a young man with dark, frizzy hair and a nervous expression, which Sheena guessed was because he was a relative newbie.

"Yes, that's exactly what happened," Sheena confirmed, taking a sip of water. Her nerves were actually calmer with more people around, as their presence gave her a sense of security that protected her from any potential attacks. But still, her free hand wrung slightly with worry, wondering how Zelos, her so-called saviour, was doing with the wine bottle shattering his cast. "So I guess it could be the same guy from the last case, right?"

The officer's eyebrows scrunched up, looking more stressed out than Sheena. "It isn't really my call. From the last case, the wine bottle was used to bludgeon the victim to death, so assuming the same was about to happen to you, it's possible," he replied, trying to cap his pen and frantically flipping through his notes.

Sheena looked glum, trying to be patient to the rookie officer while hoping he could reveal any new information. Her glare outshined any lights in the hall, honing in on him like a spotlight and making him more uncomfortable. And just as they were in the heat of things, a familiar voice called, "Sheena, don't you know it's bad for the public to put that much pressure on young officers? Your taxes paid for his training, you know."

Sheena looked down the hall and a big smile stretched across her face. Clopping his way towards them was the former undercover police officer from Iselia, Gil Irving. "I must say, you sure pick the perfect time to get clobbered," Gil observed sarcastically, his eyes wandering as he scanned the room like a photocopy machine, "A few days ago, you were accused of smacking Masako, now the same happens to you. Ironic, no?"

Sheena followed Gil as the goateed man leaned like a runner crossing the finish line, his torso just grazing the police tape. His eyes were scanned every object and detail of the room, absorbing everything with photographic efficiency and noting anything unusual. When he dropped Sheena off the day the room was returned, he already felt there was something wrong, but he respected his friends' privacies to rifle through the room just to pinpoint it. "There isn't supposed to be that extra bump on the air conditioner," Gil muttered. Turning to Sheena, he asked, "Did you request an upgrade?"

Before Sheena could answer, another familiar voice interrupted her. This time, it was one she didn't want to hear. "Mr. Irving, can I help you?" Gil and Sheena turned just in time to catch that familiar figure in a dark suit and tie: hotel manager Nick Childress.

"Mr. Childress, how nice to see you," Gil greeted, cynicism dripping with every syllable, "But I must say you're quite late. Most of the time, when something is brewing in the hotel, you show up within thirty seconds. This time, you didn't come until thirty minutes later, and you missed another assault on one of your guests. What happened to that slogan 'guaranteeing safety and comfort' that you brandished earlier?" he sneered.

Childress pursed his lips. Gil tilted his head to get a better view at the manager's eyes, which now found the carpeted floor to be very fascinating. "What happened to both Mr. Wilder and Miss Fujibyashi was regrettable, and I take full responsibility for not having better security here. That's why I've come to cooperate with the police and help them out in any way possible," he insisted, his head resembling an anvil.

"Good, then maybe you can explain why you delivered a bottle of wine and some snacks to the two even when they told everyone they didn't order it. Are you giving free stuff away behind our backs? I'm going to file a complaint against you for giving these two special treatments, even though I pay more for my room," Gil chuckled, nudging the hotel manager. Even Sheena, who was nervous earlier, cracked a smile.

Just then, the police spotted Childress and flagged him down for an interview. As the hotel manager marched off, stiff as a nutcracker, Gil told Sheena that he would head back to his room. "Tell Zelos to leave a testimony for police, just in case he's suspected of a crime again," he reminded Sheena, who simply nodded in a deathly serious mood.

Gil hobbled back to the elevator, still mulling over details of the latest attack. "Both involved a wine bottle, delivered via a food cart, and Childress did the honours himself. One involved a shady businessman with several so-called love interests, while the other involved the businessman's high school friend, who isn't really a love interest. What do they have in common?" he mulled openly as he entered the open elevator.

* * *

Gil's train of thought rumbled through the dark tunnel known as his room, so much so that he barely got a moment of sleep. Even as sunlight seeped through the closed blinds, Gil could not get the possibilities out of his head. Maybe a rinse will do me some good, he thought as he grabbed his crutches. He struggled to the bathroom as discretely as possible, not wanting to wake the still snoring Lloyd.

Gil merely sat in the bathtub in a shower chair, stretching out his casted leg and letting the water run all over him. Being under this waterfall actually comforted him, as the water's rhythm eased the random thoughts doing battle inside his head for a while. "I know Sheena was accused of beating Masako with a wine bottle, and later on she was hit in the same way. Both times Childress delivered the cart, and both times he had access to the room. But Childress claimed not to have seen anything either time," he murmured.

After a few more minutes, Gil reached up to the tap with difficulty and turned off the water. He wrapped a towel around his body and inched out of the tub, sliding into a white short-sleeved T-shirt and beige cargo shorts while balancing on the edge like a trapeze artist. "But there's also no evidence to show Childress entered the rooms at those times, right? And how would the intruder know when to enter? Unless there's a secret camera, so is there one in Sheena's room by the air conditioner? So maybe there's one Masako's room as well, just to keep an eye on him?" Gil mulled as he pulled out his toothbrush.

By the time Gil finished brushing his teeth, Lloyd already stirred and sat upright on his bed, his eyes still heavy and his already messy hair even shaggier. "You're up early," he muttered to his father, unleashing a yawn and stretching out his arms. He even tilted his neck back and forth, loosening his muscles like a cat.

Gil was about to reply when Genis burst into the room through the connecting side door. "Can I shower in your bathroom?" he asked desperately, "Grandma beat me to it this morning, and Raine called it second. I don't want to make her mad this early in the morning, and I know both will take forever, so can I go here, please?" he begged, his face scrunched up and his hand squeezing his new change of underwear like an orange.

"No way, this is our bathroom to begin with. You stay out and wait while I go first," Lloyd protested, leaping out of bed like a hurdler. He raced Genis to the bathroom, both jockeying for position just outside of the doorframe as they waited for Gil to exit.

Gil stared out from the bathroom and saw the two boys arguing with each other, and suddenly a thought hit him. There was supposedly an argument between Sheena and Masako, where Sheena objected to Masako's advancing to her, and only when Masako refused to back down did Sheena swing the bottle at him. But there was no argument in the second case. In fact, Sheena and Zelos had stories that complemented each other, meaning whoever that attacked them was anticipating a fight that never precipitated, and most likely took action into their own hands.

Grabbing his crutches, Gil hobbled to the door and again, the two boys nudged and checked each other. Gil's attention turned to their undergarments this time, as the two had on very different styles of underwear. While Lloyd wore white boxer briefs, Genis preferred baggy blue boxer shorts, clicking another gear in Gil's mind. In a hotel room, there was bound to be clothing around, but nobody ever bothered to analyze the clothes, at least not yet. What if crucial evidence was present on them, but was passed over? "Lloyd, can I ask you something?" he requested, staggering towards his son.

Lloyd looked up for just a moment, which gave Genis the chance to bolt into the bathroom. Free from Lloyd's hold, the young half-elf sprinted in and locked the door, much to the spiky-haired teen's dismay. "Hey, Genis!" he yelled, gripping the doorknob.

"Sorry, bathroom is occupied," the silver-haired boy's muffled voice could be heard, "If there's any complaint say it into my belly button. It's against the door right now." Genis pushed out his abdomen and pressed the crater-like object onto the wood. "None? Then too bad!" He laughed, stripping off his boxers and turning the shower on.

Lloyd turned to his father with exasperated eyes. "Why did you have to call me at that moment? I could have been in there by now," he groaned, a hand shading his face.

"I was wondering if you and Colette could do me a favour tonight," Gil asked, "As you know, I wanted to attend the auction as an observer, but now something else came up and I want to deal with it later on tonight. I doubt I'll be in the room, so I was wondering if you can help me grab some stuff…"

"You interrupted me just for that?" Lloyd demanded, going on a rant about how he lost the bathroom because of a stupid request. Meanwhile, Gil tried to ignore his son as he turned on his laptop and searched for the evidence list he compiled when Frank dug through the trash for him. "Are you even listening here?" Lloyd shouted.

"I can hear you just fine, Lloyd," Gil mumbled. And I can see just fine as well, he thought, that there's something fishy with the wardrobe list, if memory serves me right. He continued scanning down the list, looking for the appropriate items. He realized that later on, he might have to call Arnold just to sort this increasingly complex case out.

And while father and son continued their odd exchange, Genis hummed the dance tunes he heard at the dance studio in the shower, waving his body around and letting the water splash him. "Now's the fun part," he announced to an imaginary audience. He let water soak the deep, round depression on his gut while sticking his finger in and wiggling the hole side to side. "I can clean my belly button and dance with it too. Isn't that cool?"

* * *

After another strange attack at the hotel, Arnold decided not to take any chances, like they did last time when staff was stretched and important pieces of evidence were missed out on in the collection stage. So later that morning, he assembled his unit in the conference room, wanting to have the crucial pieces listed off one by one and their corresponding significance stated. "Let's go over the evidence. Field team is first."

The team leader, a man in his thirties with flat top hair cleared his throat. "From the victim's room, we found the usual items of a traveler, and there isn't anything in there that particularly strikes as unusual or relating to the crime. The only items of suspicion are, of course, the food cart and its items, as delivered by Nick Childress, hotel manager, at around nine o'clock last night, consistent with everyone's witness accounts," he stated.

Arnold nodded, scribbling down all the information. "And from the cart, is there anything analyzed yet? What are the results, if available?" he asked, fretfully looking on.

"Other than the set of prints belonging to Sheena Fujibyashi, there was another set of prints on the bottle. I'm guessing that it might be the bar staff, or even Childress, who delivered the cart," the team leader replied apprehensively, "Apparently, nobody asked them to give us their fingerprints, so it's hard to do a match right now."

Arnold tapped his chin, thinking what methods they could use to get around that. "Childress has been to both crime scenes, although we don't know what he did at each one other than deliver food. We could just ask him to voluntarily give us a print, just for cooperation's sake," he mulled openly. Making more notes on the page, he decided on his next move. "Go back to the hotel later today and see if Childress will do that. Otherwise, we'll have to find some evidence to get a warrant for his fingerprints," he instructed.

Turning to the forensics team, he asked for their status update. "I analyzed the tapes of the security cameras last night and found that Childress was in Masako Hirano's room for fifteen minutes before coming out. We figured that he may have tampered with the body, be it resuscitation or that he was the killer. We were also asked by Gil Irving to check the deceased's clothing for clues. What do we have from there?" he demanded.

It was Dr. Austin, the head coroner, who reported on the body. "I've re-examined the body and the cause of death is consistent with our initial reports. It was blunt force trauma, where several blows to the head led to the death. There isn't enough from the ribs or sternum to tell whether resuscitation had occurred, but it's possible that he had been sat or pressed on with a moderate amount of force," he explained concisely.

"And the clothing the deceased wore did have some fibres on them that didn't belong to any of the clothing we collected, meaning another person was in the room and made contact with his body when he was clubbed to death," the forensics team lead, a woman with shoulder-length hair described, "That would dent the theory that Sheena Fujibyashi is the killer should her story ring true. There might be a third person present there that night, one that we didn't know about, and that's probably our killer."

From the end of the table, Arnold scribbled the information furiously onto his page like stitching them permanently onto the paper. "And how about other pieces of clothing, especially underwear," he continued his query, "Gil did mention there are two pairs of underwear in those garbage bags. What's the deal with that?"

"Not just two pairs, but two different types," the woman corrected her superior, "A pair of boxer shorts was found, and DNA evidence from it links it to the deceased, so he most likely owns the shorts. But there's also a pair of briefs, with epithelial DNA from there matching no one. The only thing we know is that they belong to a male and it's not a relative to the deceased in any way, given that the deceased isn't married."

Arnold tapped his pencil on his chin. "The deceased moved here two weeks ago, with no known family member or relative in Altamira or any of its surrounding areas, but a male's underwear is found in the room along with the deceased's own underwear. So where does that lead us?" he asked his team rhetorically.

When there was no answer, Arnold figured that he was at a dead end. At this time, there was only one choice for the police lieutenant. "I'm going to give our former mole a call," he decided, putting his notes away, "You guys just finish what you started so far."

* * *

"Well, that's a bummer," Frank muttered as they stood outside the large building. The group thought that it would be a good day to visit the one place they hadn't been to yet, the casino. Knowing that it had quite a history as Tethe'alla's oldest, largest, and most extravagant, they decided to drop by. But the casino had a rule of not allowing any group with members under the age of eighteen, meaning three members, Lloyd, Colette, and Genis, must sit out, forcing them to miss a supposedly spectacular sight.

But it was the usually most cynical person in the group who offered an optimistic view. "I think there are other places around the casino that we can visit," Gil suggested, the map covering the lower half of his face, "From the directions here, I can see a horse jumping venue just behind it. From what I hear, this venue is also quite renowned, having been host to several horse jumping competitions in years past. Should we take a look?"

Seeing how their options were limited, the group decided to split up. Those old enough to enter would visit the casino first, while Gil brought the underage threesome to tour the surrounding buildings. They would meet later on in the horse jumping facility, where they hoped to catch a glimpse of some riders training for their next competition. As Lloyd, Colette and Genis bounded around the corner, Gil was still absorbed in his map, and trying to figure out what direction they were headed. "So what's this one right in front of us?" he murmured, slowly shifting his weight, "Some conference hall?"

Gil delicately balanced on his crutches while looking forward. He could see Lloyd and Colette still separate from each other, uneasiness between them as they curiously stared through the glass doors while dropping an occasional line to each other. Gil heard from Lloyd that the two planned to go out by themselves this evening, to possibly sort out some of their problems, and even restart their relationship by hanging out the way they used to when they were younger. "You got to start somewhere, I'll say," Gil muttered.

Just then, a throng of reporters pushed the doors open, brushing Lloyd and Colette aside as they herded out in a circle, lights flashing at the figure they surrounded. The two teens could only look on as a middle-aged, bespectacled man wearing a dark suit jacket and bright bowtie strode out confidently and proudly, his two assistants keeping the press a short distance away just to make room for him. Although Gil couldn't see it from his angle, he figured it was another one of those fats cats showing off his pride again.

"I said it inside and I'll say it again," the wealthy-looking man spoke in a clear and somewhat egotistical tone, "The only announcement I'll make here is that I will be at the auction for the Heart of Balacruf tonight. Any other information will be revealed to you once the auction is over. Now if you excuse me, I have a casino to run."

"Mr. Perry, will you plan on making any bids for the necklace?" one reporter demanded, sticking his recorder into the man's face. Perry snapped his head back just in time, causing the recorder to graze the lapel of his shirt, nearly striking his bowtie.

One assistant's hand shot out and pushed the recorder back. Perry calmly reached up and readjusted the tie before staring at the young man's eyes. "I've already said I'll attend the auction out of interest. I'll take a look at the jewel, and decide from there."

"Mr. Perry, there has been rumours surrounding some extravagant gift you're planning to give to your wife for your wedding anniversary. Since you'll have the ball tonight, could the Heart be your target?" a female reporter asked as she was continually pushed backwards by the assistants and other journalists jockeying for position.

Again, the fat cat remained emotionless as he marched forward, the halo of journalists following his every step. "My wife has been the most priceless thing in my life, so I can only give her a priceless gift tonight," he replied, perplexing them more.

Some murmurs of amazement could be heard resonating in low-pitch chatter from the journalists as they neared the corner. Gil pressed himself closer to the wall to avoid being hit as they passed by. From the corner of his eye, Lloyd and Colette drew near as they followed the throng from a distance, and Genis was now beside them as well. "So if the necklace will be your target, what will your bidding price be?" another person asked.

And as expected, another ambiguous answer came from the middle-aged man. Gil could only sneer at the arrogance puffed out from Perry as he moved by, rolling his eyes and slapping his map shut in disgust. By the time Lloyd, Colette and Genis moved up to the former mole, the group of people already moved away. "What was that all about?" Lloyd asked, "Is he like the owner of the casino or something like that?"

Gil nodded, his eyes trailing the moving crowd. "Not only that, he's also going to the auction tonight, which will make things really interesting," Gil stated, "Guys like him probably think they own the world, and can cover all the sleaze that they accumulated over the years with their riches. Nonetheless, I'll keep an eye on him at the hotel tonight."

Just then, Gil's cell phone shrieked through the air, prompting the former mole to be excuses from the group. As his three younger companions trotted off, Gil answered the call, and got a truckload of information blasted into his ears like water cannons. "Hold on for a moment, Lieutenant Arnold," he requested, "Let me get some of this straightened out first. So outside of the three ladies and Sheena, there is another possible suspect in the room, and it happens to be a man? This just turned the whole case around!" Gil exclaimed.

"Not only that, but since there are prints and fabrics on the deceased's clothes, we can say there's been contact with this other mysterious person. Childress had access to all the tapes, so he's bound to have something. And that's what we're going to find out today when we go back," Arnold announced, confidence brimming with his every word.

"I doubt Childress will cooperate completely. That's why I have a better plan, and it involves some undercover work…" Gil explained, dropping his tone significantly as he looked around to ensure there was nobody nearby, before elaborating on his scheme.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Sheena and Zelos decided to switch out of their rooms, in fear that another attack might be prominent. As they sat in the lobby waiting for the front desk to check for availability, Childress had to show up to reassure their safety again, which only irritated the already stressed out twosome even more. "We'll feel much better if you just let us off the hook!" Zelos snapped, clutching his forehead. His left hand still stung from having his cast smashed last night, and he was already agitated from the feel of the new one. Now, with Childress chirping away, it only added to his misery.

Beside him, Sheena merely closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind of anything by Childress. She already had a sleepless night, and things weren't getting any better with the persistent hotel manager buzzing around her like a large fly. She lifted one eyelid with great difficulty, trying to peek at the front desk to see if they were ready. She figured that the sooner they left the lobby the better, as it would mean getting rid of Childress, at least for the moment. "Come on, hurry up," Sheena murmured.

Finally, a secretary at the desk came up to them. "I'm sorry, but no luxury suite has been prepared for use at the moment. I'm afraid that you're stuck in your rooms until further notice," she stated apologetically, albeit with a smile on her face.

"I'm sure there are openings for you later on," Childress chimed in, the sickening smile enough to make the two lose any appetite they might have left, "When the room is available, I'll make sure they're all prepared for you. So just relax and enjoy your day."

"How can we with you buzzing around?" Zelos retorted, glaring exasperatedly. Zelos and Sheena could only look on in disgust as Childress strutted off. After a few minutes of silent contemplation on their next move, Zelos picked up his cell phone and called Gil. "Maybe he's having better luck than us," he muttered, the keypad's beeping resembling screams of pain as Zelos unleashed his anger through his fingers.

Just then, Gil picked up from the other side. "Hey Gil, Zelos here," the redhead greeted his friend, "I already left my interrogation information with police, so I was just wondering if they found anything on the attack of last night yet."

"I just got a call from Lieutenant Arnold, actually, and he said there are indeed new leads. They say they'll be sending a group to the hotel right now, and they'll have to interview Mr. Childress," Gil explained, the sounds of their friends gathering behind him could be heard in muffled chatter, "I assume he's on your case again, isn't he?"

Zelos sighed, looking helplessly at Sheena, who just about fell asleep on her armchair. "We were trying to get a room switch because we didn't feel safe with the latest attack, but there's nothing available for us right now and Childress decided to come cheer us up," Zelos responded wearily, "Looks like it'll be a long day for us."

"Wait, don't switch," Gil interrupted Zelos from the other side. His tone grew deathly serious, making Zelos shoot up in his posture. The change wasn't unnoticed by Sheena, who lifted her head slightly and inched forward anxiously. "There might be a fifth person visiting Masako outside of the three ladies and Sheena, and I personally think this person had their eyes on you. If you move, it'll just be more unsafe," he warned, right now, "I have a plan for this situation. All I have to do is to attend the auction at the ballroom tonight, then make a few rearrangements. After that, all will be fine."

The mention of the auction sucked any excitement away from Zelos like a vacuum. He still had reservations about the auction group's move, feeling a sense of anger at their disregard for a life. But now that Gil told him he would be attending, what did the Iselia native have in mind? "Why are you going tonight?" Zelos asked.

"There are a bunch of rich snobs thinking of getting their hands on that necklace, and hearing from the press conference today that there's still apprehension over it, I think an observation would be warranted here," Gil explained, the sounds of his group slowly disappearing. Zelos guessed they probably wanted to tour another building and Gil was left behind to finish the call. "Besides, Raine told me some unusual information from her visit to the auction group, and I'm set on finding out about that."

Upon hearing that, Zelos' eyes grew wide. So that meant the investigation wasn't over, even as police deemed it an accident. With Candy's supposed killer still at large, did Gil imply that he wanted to use the auction to flush this suspect out? Determined to help, Zelos offered his services. "What do you want Sheena and me to do?"

But Gil calmly and respectfully refused their help, citing safety and stress. "You and Sheena already went through a lot, so it's best that you guys relax. Besides, you two already have targets on your backs, so it's dangerous to get into more investigations with no police protection," he explained, "Just take the night off and enjoy it with each other. Come to the casino, we're touring it right now and it's fantastic."

Before Zelos could say another word, Gil bid him farewell. Looking like the phone just zapped him, Zelos slowly closed it and slipped it back into his pocket. Turning to Sheena, he said with a weak smile, "So, you want to go tour the casino tonight? Gil said it's worth a look, so what do you say?" he suggested.

* * *

VIP's and other wealthy folks buzzed around the lobby of the hotel, waiting to be called into the ballroom for the auction. Many members of the local and regional press were also present as they interviewed each bidder for the Heart of Balacruf, and each got a boastful response on their expectations for the jewel. As each fat cat took their turn at the cameras, a man on crutches and two teenagers stood to the side and tilted their eyes left and right. "Nothing sparks a feeding frenzy like the smell of a precious jewel among rich snobs. It's beautiful to see high class folks turn into beasts, isn't it?" Gil stated.

Lloyd and Colette remained silent, too shocked to see their premises turned into dust right before their eyes. Forget about idealism, forget about making the world a better place to live, forget about the education and life experience each wealthy group had. With the Heart of Balacruf on the auction block, it was every man for himself. The high-end folks threw themselves at the cameras and bragged about how they'll spend ridiculous amounts on it, and then showing it off with their wives or lovers. It hit the two teens like a champion boxer, stunning them so much that they didn't know what to think.

But Gil's attention soon shifted from the marauding fat cats to the front desk, where Childress, surprisingly, wasn't available. Knowing that they had a big event like this, hotel management had to make the necessary preparations. Gil figured that Childress was busy snooping around the ballroom, and wouldn't be there to entertain any questions from guests. Which is just perfect for me, Gil thought. Turning to Lloyd and Colette, he instructed them to enter the auction. "Tell them you're there as spectators, and grab a seat away from the centre but still close enough to see everybody," he ordered, "I just have to make a quick visit to the front desk. Lloyd, we didn't miss anything in my bag, yes?"

Lloyd shook his head. "We packed it together, and I checked to make sure all the items you wanted were in there," he replied, "Dad, don't do anything crazy, okay?"

Gil nodded and signalled at the ballroom, telling Lloyd go early and avoid the throng of rich people strutting to their seats. As his son and girlfriend strode off, Gil took a glance at the surroundings, and noticed Childress busy speaking with auction staff. The perfect distraction, he thought as he hobbled to the front desk. With the ever attentive hotel manager focused on the auction, Gil could do whatever he pleased with the staff.

"We will accommodate for the press conference with the winner. We have another room ready on the second floor," Childress assured the auction manager Hunter, who was a picky man about details as well. The balding man grilled Childress for the last fifteen minutes, making sure each demand was satisfied to his liking. As the auction head continued mulling the response, Childress took out a hanky and wiped some sweat off his face. Hunter was one of few people who could strike that much worry into Childress. The past event with Candy being shoved off the stairs was still in Hunter's mind, and he wasn't likely to forget what he deemed as the hotel's incompetent security.

After a few more minutes, Hunter finally let the issue slide. "I wasn't satisfied with the last show, even though police ruled the death an accident. I don't want a repeat, yes?" he demanded, his eyes aiming darts into Childress, who only managed a weak nod.

Fuming at Hunter as he entered the ballroom, Childress quickly spun on his heel and stepped out of the crowd. His eyes lifted to the front desk, and a look of horror spread across his face. Quickening his pace and dodging potential bidders like a steeplechase, he hurried to his target, which now slipped a card key into his pocket. "You're getting the better end of the deal, because I'm still paying penthouse price for a downgrade," he informed the front desk with a slightly cynical tone, "But for my purposes, I'm willing to go for it."

"Mr. Irving," Childress called, finally reaching the former mole. Trying to hide his rush and insecurity, the man in a dark suit and tie tried catching his breath as quietly as possible, and recomposed himself to look more formal, "What are you doing?"

"Ah, Mr. Childress, how nice of you to visit me again," Gil replied, snaring the hotel manager into the predicament, "But there won't be any need for you to help me. I already talked to your staff and they said they're willing to change rooms for me. For tonight, I'll be in a luxury suite instead of my penthouse. What's more, it's Masako Hirano's former suite, which is still surprisingly vacant. What a coincidence, yes?"

Childress stuttered, his eyes staring at Gil's pants pocket. The goateed man was more unpredictable by the minute, and Childress had no idea what Gil wanted with this last move. As shock, confusion, and helplessness all flashed through the hotel manager's face, Gil enjoyed every bit of it. "And by the way, this time you're only five minutes late, so you improved on your timing of getting to me, but nowhere near your usual mark of thirty seconds," Gil taunted him with a grin, "If you excuse me, I plan to move."

Childress continued standing there as Gil clopped past him, pressing the up button and waited patiently for an elevator. By the time Childress had collected his thoughts, the doors had opened. "Mr. Irving," he shouted again, catching Gil midway between entering the elevator, "May I ask why you requested a move? Is the penthouse uncomfortable?"

Gil looked back, a mischievous twinkle glistening from his eye. "No, I just want some peace and quiet to work on my novel tonight," he replied, "I already said that you never quite know what two lovesick teens might do. And in cases like this, something crazy is bound to happen." He emphasized the word crazy, wiggling his eyebrows again.

Again, more shivers buzzed up Childress' spine, causing slight tremors from the man's body. As Gil entered the elevator, Childress called, "Perhaps I can prepare the room for you again, since it hasn't been used in days. If you want to do some writing, certainly you'll like a comfortable environment, no?" he asked desperately.

"Why, thank you for that offer. I'll gladly take it," Gil responded with a sickening sweet tone, almost like caramel on his tongue, "I'll just grab some stuff from my room and wait until you're done. Will you be ready in twenty minutes?" he asked as he disappeared from sight, the elevator doors closing and still showing his exaggerated smile.

Childress again trembled, realizing that he was in quite a pickle. He couldn't back down from Gil's request without arousing suspicion. Sighing, he trotted to the security office to prepare, knowing there was no way out from the irritatingly insane Iselia native.

* * *

"This looks like a good spot," Colette pointed at a section near the back and to the side, but not completely isolated in a corner. As Gil confronted the front desk, Lloyd and Colette did they were told and found some seats for the three of them. The blond girl's attention was not on the auction, however. She was more concerned about this outing tonight, and what her boyfriend had in mind for them. Knowing that their relationship was on the rocks, she almost felt awkward on going on a supposed date with Lloyd.

But Lloyd remained extremely gentlemanly despite being believed to still hold significant anger inside. Remaining in the aisle, he waved his hand to allow Colette in first, before he finally eased in. There was a side aisle to the far left of the row, hidden from the lack of bright lighting. The two teens could see an intensely lit stage with a long table in the middle. Stage hands lugged a covered container like handling a fragile artefact in Frank's lab, which led Colette to believe that it was the Heart of Balacruf.

Colette tried hard to focus on the mysterious container, but to no avail, as her eyes kept taking side stares at the boy sitting on her right. Dressed in his board shorts, a loose, semi-buttoned up shirt, and his sneakers, Lloyd crossed his arms and stared daggers onto the stage, making Colette wonder if Lloyd fumed at her or the auction crew. Realizing she had to break the ice, Colette gently cleared her throat. "Lloyd?" she called meekly.

The spiky-haired teen turned his head slowly towards her, almost like a creaky door opening with great difficulty. His eyes were blank and his face expressionless, striking even more uncertainty into Colette. With shivers going up and down her spine, the blonde swallowed hard, gently moistened her lips and spoke in a soft tone. "I know you specifically called for this, but I just want to know why it has to be tonight and with us alone. I know what I did was wrong, and I'm really sorry…"

But Lloyd raised a hand to stop her. "Colette, I really don't want to hear any more apologies. What you did was wrong, but I don't want that to be the main and sole focus on the date," Lloyd dismissed her question emphatically, "I was really upset, but now that I had time and thought it over, I felt that we should both move on from this event."

Colette stared into Lloyd's eyes, curious and afraid at the same time. What did Lloyd mean by moving on? Was he planning to step away from their relationship? "I'll do anything to make things right, I promise you! But please, we can't just drop it like this, not when we've come so far! Ten years of friendship and saving the world together, along with you curing me, all those mean something, right?" Colette pleaded.

Lloyd nodded, with his face still stoic. "They do, and that's why we have to move on and start new. I want us to keep working, but I don't want to leave you behind. That's why I want tonight to be a new first date for us, like a fresh start to our relationship," he explained. A sincere look replaced the glum one, bringing warmth to Colette in this dark and chilly corner. "Colette, I really care about you, and I don't want to see you hurt. That's why I decided on this move, because this is the only way we can move forward again. If I did it any other way, it'll look like I'm trying to humiliate you in public."

Colette gasped, her hand covering her mouth in shock. So that's what Lloyd was trying to do? He never intended to separate, but to start anew and give them both another chance. Colette was truly touched by the gesture, as even with her immature act of being distracted by a dog and embarrassing Lloyd in public, Lloyd still refused to retaliate; rather, he continued to be sincere and genuine, showing care and respect for her. Deeply moved, Colette held Lloyd's hands and weakly smiled. "Yes, Lloyd, I'll do everything I can to make it work again," she replied, sniffling and holding back tears, "From now on, I'll never put you on the spot in public. If there's a problem, we'll solve it together, just like how we cut that seed to the Aurion Tree together," she promised.

Lloyd wriggled one hand out of the grasp and brushed her cheek, a warm smile lined across his face. "And I'll be a responsible person, and will always listen to you. Even when we disagree, I'll do everything I can to accommodate your requests," he pledged with determination, "I'll concede some points every now and then, and I will apologize for my overreaction that day. But if it means being with you, I'll do anything."

The two stared longingly into each other's eyes, grateful for the second chance and unwavering in their resolve to not let it slip away. As their faces grew nearer, the people around were nothing but a blur, their voices nothing but static as the two teens focused solely on each other. It was like their first kiss on that military plane, when Lloyd exposed his feelings to Colette while she was in monster form. Colette confronted Lloyd about it after being healed, bringing him aside on the plane and telling him that she felt the same way. And with the current situation where Gil asked them to help solve a case, it was almost déjà vu. Their lips parted slightly as their noses almost nuzzled, each person feeling the other's breathing on their cheeks as they were about to kiss.

"Attention to all bidders: the auction will begin in ten minutes! Please file into the ballroom as quickly as possible!" the loud intercom voice blared through the air. Lloyd and Colette jolted up, releasing each other and eyed the doors. Within minutes of the announcement, many of the fat cats they saw from the outside marched in, an air of arrogance replacing their romantic atmosphere as they took their seats.

Lloyd pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I have to check if my dad's ready," he stated, getting up to step out, "Can you keep an eye on things here for me?"

* * *

"Wow, now that's an unusual way of getting what you want, and it seems almost counter to the usual demands of guests too," Lloyd commented as he helped Gil into the ballroom. They made it just in time as the doors closed, the security staff refusing any more visitors into the auction. With all the VIP's seated almost front and centre, Gil took the back route to their row, insisting on getting in from the side rather than the main aisle.

"Well, it's hard to argue against the police, especially when I told them I would have police search Masako's room if they ever found out about it being empty even as their boss told police it'll be used," Gil replied, hobbling to the side. Lloyd followed closely, making sure his father can manoeuvre around the darkness. "Besides, Childress can't do anything for now. The police just arrived to further their investigation on the death, and they're asking him some pretty sensitive questions right now."

Gil sat to Colette's left, curling his legs while Lloyd climbed over his injured father and back to his seat to Colette's right. They got comfortable just in time to hear Hunter announce the item. "This is the Heart of Balacruf, our only item up for bid. The base price is four million, with bidding increments increasing at a quarter of a million each time." Giving way to the auctioneer, Hunter called out, "The bidding begins!"

Within seconds, several people called out prices, making the auctioneer juggle among many directions. Lloyd, Colette, and Gil tried hard to achieve their goal of tracking each bidder, their heads and eyes twitching and rolling around like on a spinning ride at the amusement park. It was increasingly difficult to keep track of all the fat cats thirsting for that necklace, and Gil's eyes couldn't help but stop every time they crossed the stage, where Leonard Yancey sat at the end of the long table, his face stoic before his laptop.

Suddenly, the man they ran into at the casino raised his hand. In a tone similar to the one Forcystus used on Gil when he was still undercover, Perry spoke up. "I bid seven and a half million," he announced, showing the surrounding bidders his arrogant smirk.

Not to be outdone, a bespectacled man one row back raised his hand as well. "I bid eight million," he retorted, staring down the casino owner. From Gil's position, it was clear that the price range had reached a stage where only a few bidders could afford it, no small feat considering the net worth of the people seated in this room.

"Is there any higher than eight million?" the auctioneer asked, his eyes scanning the crowd. The lighting from the stage cast strange shadows around the seats, making it look like the rival bidders were framed into a large but scattered spotlight. "Eight million dollars, going once, going twice…" the auctioneer counted, his hand gripping the gavel.

But Perry interjected just before the hammer slammed down. "Nine million," he called, his eyes glued to the necklace. From the back, Lloyd and Colette zoned in on the bidder, their hearts pounding and their hands sweaty. They held their breaths, anticipating any higher bids as the room fell into a dead silence. Among the crowd there were already murmurs as each bidder contemplated whether to continue.

"Nine million, going once…" the auctioneer stated. The bidders' looks ranged from confusion, frustration, and downright defeat. "…going twice…" All bidders at the front eyed Perry, who smirked haughtily as he prepared to take possession of the Heart of Balacruf. "…three times, and sold!" With that, the gavel dropped onto the block, the loud bang signalling the end. "Congratulations, Mr. Gordon Perry!" the auctioneer proclaimed as the crowd clapped politely, many shaking Perry's hand as the press huddled near him.

But Gil was more interested at a certain jewellery expert on stage, who slapped the laptop shut and glared at the casino owner basking in the glory like he had just scored a game-winning goal. Gil gently nudged Lloyd and Colette, signalling their attention onto the stage. Indeed, three sets of eyes saw Leonard's aggravated expression, and suspicion instantly perked up inside them, wondering what was going through Leonard's mind right now.

* * *

That's a good way to end it here, I'll show you more next time. I'll try to update once every two weeks, although no guarantees right now. See you soon!


	8. Why Do I Always Run into Dead People?

Only **Poet Bucky **reviewed, as **I.K.A. Valian** was busy again. Both Bucky and I.K.A. are the sole reasons why this chapter is up today rather than at the weekend, as they've done an excellent job of editing and revising crucial parts. For that, you will see their roles increase in the solving of the two crimes.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

After all the wealthy folks filed out of the ballroom, Lloyd, Colette and Gil were left loitering in the lobby, looking on curiously as Perry and the Heart of Balacruf were whisked to the second floor amid tight security. While the two teens kept their eyes on the surrounding fat cats, Gil had his sights on a certain bespectacled man. "You both did well back there. I know it's hard to keep track of all those people, but at least we know who bid on the necklace and who were among the finalists," Gil complimented them.

Just then, Leonard Yancey filed out from the crowd, ploughing through in a huff and not even bothering to greet anyone. He pulled his coat close to himself, holding his laptop tight against his side and scurrying off to the direction of the dining hall. Seeing this, Gil believed Leonard was targeting the bar, and decided to give chase. "You two have a great night," he told Lloyd and Colette, "I have a man to catch."

Lloyd and Colette nodded briefly, taking one last look at Gil before hitting the city. "So, what do you have in mind for our new first date?" Colette asked, stepping out into the calm night.

Lloyd smiled, putting a hand around her shoulder. "We're going to have a light dinner first. Then we're going for a stroll on the beach and, if weather permits, do something we did when we were younger. Remember what we used to do when I would join your family on your summer camping trips at Iselia Forest National Park?" he recalled, "We would camp near the water, have dinner at the campfire, and while the adults tucked us in and they were left enjoying themselves, what did we do?"

Upon hearing that, Colette giggled, the inner child in the young couple ready to burst like a geyser. "We used to sneak into the woods, change into our swimsuits, and go for a night swim," Colette replied, covering her mouth and guffawing nonstop, "The adults would think we're asleep, but we're actually having fun without them!"

"Well, to an extent, we're doing the same here," Lloyd added, chortling as well, "Your parents are probably enjoying dinner somewhere, and Raine and her grandma are likely in some discussion regarding the jewel or some ancient artefact. I heard Sheena and Zelos may head to the casino," Lloyd counted off, their pace quickening down the streetlamp-lighted city, "Genis is too busy cleaning or playing with his belly button, and my dad's on his case. So that means we're all alone and we can do whatever we want. It's just like old times," he reminisced, his eyes staring into the night sky.

Colette leaned in closer, linking her elbow with Lloyd's as they strolled down the street together. "It's just like old times alright, but it's these old times that we're counting on to bring us back to each other," Colette pointed out, her free hand trying to keep the bottom of her loose tank top from flapping. Unlike nights before, the sea breezes were warmer, rendering any long-sleeved clothing unnecessary. The flapping clothing didn't bother Lloyd as much as it bothered Colette, as Lloyd left the top two and bottom two buttons on his shirt undone, letting the wind pull at the fabric. It occasionally revealed his collar and the bottom part of his developing abs, right under his belly button.

"Well, we've got to go back to the beginning, and find out what brought us so close in the first place," Lloyd responded as they turned the corner. There were still many tourists out and about, revealing the exciting atmosphere of Altamira's night life, "I think our biggest mistake is going too far, too fast, and ended up doing things that we weren't ready for. All the moving out, getting a place to live, what kind of dog, they detracted us from trying to coexist. We shouldn't take it for granted that everything will work out. Instead, we should just go one step at a time, know the challenges we'll face and how to deal with them together," he stated maturely. Inside, he knew Gil's experience as both a mole and an absent father taught Lloyd a lot about how to relate to others, and the fact that Gil protected him in secret during that time only made Lloyd respect Gil more.

Just then, Colette squeezed her hand out from the arm link and gripped the bottom of her shirt with both hands. Even as they turned the block, the wind was still whipping at the fabric, this time from her back. While Lloyd's buttons were away from the breezes, Colette's tank top ended up flapping forward, and her free hand had to play iron the entire time. "It's not going to matter if I tie it up, no?" she asked, stretching two long tails from the white tank top, "I mean, it's not a formal restaurant where there's a dress code?"

Lloyd shook his head. "Altamira is a resort town, so it's not an uncommon sight. Besides, you're much more modestly dressed than most people. Just look at Candy," Lloyd pointed out in a disgusted tone. He was still sickened by the auction group's treatment of her death, but also realized that if ever asked to compare which girl he would rather have, Colette would win hands-down. "In my mind, what your body looks like isn't as important as what you have inside. Most of these girls dress so scantily and flaunt around in bikinis hoping to get attention, yet you showed up onto the beach without any expectations for your body. But that didn't change my opinion of you: I still care for you more than anything in the world, regardless of whoever that tries to flirt in front of me."

Again, Colette was deeply touched by Lloyd. It was true that this spiky-haired teen only had one girl in mind, and would only judge her personality, not her physical appearance. He could have taken his eyes off her and viewed all the other immodest females on the beach, but instead he chose to focus on her, even as she was more covered up than anyone else. "And in case you're wondering, we are going swimming afterwards, so your shirt will get wet anyway. Besides, do I look like I'll let something like a tied up shirt embarrass you?" Lloyd continued, winking his eye at her.

Colette returned the smile, her entire body melting after seeing Lloyd's playful but still caring side. Lifting the shirt slightly, she pulled at the loose tails and put them in a knot, letting it hang before her and exposing part of her belly. "Let's hope Genis won't get to see this, or he'll probably go crazy," Colette joked, pointing the revealed section.

Lloyd chuckled. "Come on, let's eat and then enjoy the rest of our night. From what I gather, my dad will have one hectic mission in front of him." Linking arms again, the two teens trotted off to their destination, ready to bask in each other's company.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gil was at a standstill with Leonard, eyeing him from a side table in the dining hall and trying to keep his face covered. The jewellery expert was at the bar sitting hunchbacked and dipping his head lower and lower onto the counter. Even when approached by the usually friendly tanned brown bartender, Leonard refused to say much, except for a grunt or wave of the hand. Seeing the usually energetic man at such a low mood, Gil figured he probably came to drown his sorrows. "So that means the photos Raine discovered on Leonard's computer were something he really valued," Gil thought, taking a sip from his glass while shading his head behind an old newspaper.

A waiter finally came to serve Gil his meal. Per the service to penthouse guests, the young man explained the full course dinner to Gil, effectively blocking Gil's view to the bar. Gil tried to pay attention to the waiter, nodding and smiling and adding a few complements here and there on his professional handling of describing the meal, all the while taking sneak peeks around his body at the bar. He could see Leonard knock his fist a couple of times on the counter, signalling that he wanted another drink. Gil cocked an eyebrow at this, wondering how Leonard could still be conscious. "And when you're finished, we'll offer dessert. Do you have any questions?" the waiter asked with a smile.

Gil only nodded, raising his hand to assure the waiter that he was satisfied. It was increasingly difficult to focus on Leonard, as the waiter was under the impression that Gil not paying attention to him was a sense of dissatisfaction, and did whatever he could to pull Gil back. "No really, you did a great job explaining that to me. I'll ask for you if I have any other concerns, honest!" Gil reiterated, his eyes still peeled at the bar kegs.

The curly-haired bartender served up another mug of clear, light-brown liquid to Leonard. The jewellery expert didn't even wait for the mug to hit the wooden surface of the bar before he started chugging it down.

"If that's the case, then enjoy your dinner!" the waiter concluded, quickly turning on his heel and trotting off to another table. Gil grumbled slightly, as he was not happy that he had to take his attention off Leonard for that long, but accepted the graciousness of his server nonetheless. Folding the newspaper, he placed it gently onto the side of the table, taking another long look at Leonard before beginning his meal.

There was a small flash coming from Leonard's pants' pocket, which Gil figured was Leonard's cell phone. The bespectacled man groaned as he stretched out, reaching into his pocket like an old man grabbing his cane. While keeping an X-ray scan on the bar, Gil's attention wasn't on his table. As he tried to grab his napkin, his hand slipped and the cloth ended up sliding onto the ground rather than onto his lap. He patted himself absentmindedly until he had noticed the white blanket between his two feet. "Oh boy," he murmured, dreading having to work around the cast on his leg to get it back.

Taking a deep breath, Gil slowly edged forward in his chair, gently swinging his casted leg to the side while bending the good leg lower. He resembled a gymnast on a floor routine as his hand stretched to the ground, his face in a grimace as muscles from his limbs pulled and flexed to the maximum. Figuring that he stood a better chance with one knee down, he quietly pushed the chair back and kneeled on his left knee, leaving the right leg to the side as he gripped his napkin. Just as his hand made contact, a polite voice from above asked, "Mr. Irving, would you like some help?"

Gil craned his neck to see his server standing above him. The courteous young man looked on anxiously as Gil struggled to his feet. "There's no need to reach down for a dirty napkin like that, especially when you have a cast on your leg," he suggested, reaching for Gil's shoulder to pull him back up, "I can change it for you if you want."

"No, I can get it," Gil insisted, straightening out his sitting pose as he placed the napkin on his lap. His eyes wandered off to the bar, and let out a gasp of horror. "Oh no, where did he go?" he muttered, pushing on his chair to reach for his crutches.

"Where did who go?" the waiter asked, a concerned look on his face. He slowly followed Gil as the former mole hobbled to the bar. There was an empty chair with some money on the counter, and a casual bartender collecting the change.

Gil's head turned side to side like a meerkat exiting its burrow, trying to catch a glimpse of the jewellery expert. But there was no sign of the man in the dining hall. "Excuse me, have you seen this guy?" Gil called to the bartender, pointing at the seat.

The bartender looked up and smiled, recognizing Gil's familiar face. "You were that guest worried about delivering alcohol to your son, right?" he greeted Gil warmly, "Fancy seeing you here alone, since I would have loved to meet your son. But to answer your question, you missed the guy by less than a minute. He just left his money and took off, and I didn't even get to return his change," he responded, showing Gil the coins in his hand. "I doubt he'll last much longer at the rate he was going."

Gil bit his lower lip, realizing that his golden chance was spoiled. "Did he tell you where he went?" he asked solemnly, his eyes not leaving the counter.

"No, he didn't. He was talking on his phone, and then he just left in a huff," the bartender replied, glumly staring at Gil, "I'm not one for delving into others' personal lives, but from the tone of the conversation though, it sounded pretty urgent."

The waiter that accompanied Gil leaned on the bar, looking at the side of Gil's face. The goateed man pursed his lips, his brain in overdrive as he mulled over what his next action would be. "Do you know him? Was there something you wanted to give him or speak to him about?" he asked Gil.

An intense minute felt like a century as the two hotel staff gauged Gil's thoughts, trying to get into his mind. Gil finally lifted his head like a sarcophagus being brought back to life, and told them in a monotone voice, "No, it's fine. I'll just finish my meal and head on up. I switched rooms today just to write my novel, and I intend on doing that."

Just then, a nearby table called for the waiter, who swiftly left their conversation to attend to the guests, leaving Gil and the bartender by themselves. Gil turned back to the curly-haired young man and leaned forward, signalling his counterpart to do the same. In a soft and low tone, Gil asked, "You once said that even staff members that consume alcohol must go through you, right? Do you have the records available?"

* * *

"Are you Mr. Yancey? I understand Mr. Perry has asked for you, please come in," a middle-aged woman greeted the jewellery expert at the back door of the casino change rooms. After receiving the necklace, casino owner Gordon Perry hurried off to his press conference, boasting and bragging to the world about how he had the most valuable jewel in his hands. Leonard was too tired and upset to deal with the press, and simply slipped off to the bar for a few drinks, hoping to take his attention away from this issue.

But it would be the necklace who was interested in Leonard as Perry's assistants called his cell phone after obtaining it during the exchange of the necklace. The auction staff gave them Leonard's contact information in case there would be questions, and not even two hours passed before the first call arrived. From the call, Leonard was told to go to the casino and enter from the back, away from the guests and other staff, and sneak into the dressing room unnoticed. Leonard could tell the seriousness and secretive nature of his objective, given that it was a custodian who opened the door for him.

"Mr. Perry has called you here to deal with some sensitive matter. He didn't tell me too much about it, except to be on the lookout for someone of your description," the female custodian explained, keeping a short distance from Leonard thanks to the fume of alcohol resonating from him. Waving her hand before her face, she led Leonard into a dimly lit area, and sounds could be heard from the other side of the room. Seeing the huge curtains to the far side and the long walk to the stage gave Leonard the chills, as it accurately reflected his own position of being placed in the spotlight, again.

Leonard took a seat on a nearby bench, hugging his briefcase close to his chest. The custodian told him to stay relatively away from the public eye while she fetched Perry. Leonard sat in the hall alone, shaking his head a couple of times to clear his mind from the drinks. He craned to see what was going on inside the rooms down the hallway. Despite his decreased senses, the silence allowed him to hear an argument of sorts inside the only lit doorway in the hall. There was the sound of a woman's high-pitch shriek-like tone of anger or frustration, followed by a lower pitched voice that gruffly erupted into the silence, retorting with a series of harsh but incoherent lines. Leonard shivered, wondering what mess he had gotten himself into now.

"I have a ball to attend, and I don't want you to waste any more of my time," the male voice bellowed, getting louder and clearer as a tall silhouette burst out of the door and towards Leonard. The jewellery expert squinted to see the custodian follow the shadowed figure, which whipped around and pointed a menacing finger back into the room, snapping at the person inside. "The necklace better be off within the hour, or don't expect me to let you off easy!" The silhouette then spun to the hallway and strode angrily to the waiting area, right in Leonard's direction.

Upon seeing the man, Leonard stood politely. "Mr. Perry? I'm Leonard Yancey from Anderson's Auction House. I'm the contact person for the Heart of Balacruf. I got a call from your assistant earlier, is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

Perry waved an angry finger in Leonard's face, the scent of beer agitating the casino owner even more. There were visible creases on parts of Perry's tuxedo, indicating some physical action in the room. "Right now that crazy whore took the Heart of Balacruf and put it on herself, and nobody can take it off. Since the auction group said you're an expert on the necklace, you deal with it for me," he commanded, his chest heaving heavily from the dispute, "It better be back in the case before nine, is that clear?"

The casino owner gruffly marched off, still muttering under his breath, leaving the custodian to handle Leonard. The middle-aged woman guided him into the room, gently pushing the door open before letting Leonard in. "I'll be out here cleaning for now. Once you're done, just tell me and I'll fetch Mr. Perry's assistants," she informed him.

Leonard nodded in thanks as he gingerly stepped into the large change room. The individual sets and stalls were filled with makeup and other accessories, the whiffs flying into Leonard's face, which only made the already queasy man even more uncomfortable. Add the strange lighting to that and Leonard was officially dizzy. Soldiering on, he got to the back of the large room, where a smaller private change room with a slightly ajar door was present. Swallowing hard, Leonard inched forward and softly rapped on the door. "Hello? I'm from the auction, and I'm here to deal with a certain necklace?"

Spinning around from her chair before the wardrobe was a young woman. She had red hair, piercing auburn eyes and wore a nightgown. Leonard almost froze by the sight, wondering what to say or do. Although she had different hair and facial features, her pose and physical beauty reminded Leonard of a certain someone he knew very well. His hands slightly experienced a tremor, shaking his case uncontrollably.

The nervousness wasn't unnoticed by the young lady, who merely eyed Leonard with an unimpressed expression. "Well, aren't you supposed to help me with this thing? What are you waiting for?" she challenged, glaring mercilessly at Leonard, "And by the way, I'm Fiona Kauffman, lead performer, and I don't have much time to waste either."

Leonard staggered a bit, lugging his case onto the counter and struggled to open it. The physical attraction was a case of déjà vu from years ago, when an aspiring model was recruited right out of the University of Meltokio and introduced to him in his then office. Later on, he would move to Altamira, to Anderson's head office and taking said model with him. Now, with another perfect figure before him, he really didn't know what to react. He battled with the top lid of the case to keep it open, reaching for his gloves while having difficulty tearing his eyes away from the seat woman.

"What kind of a necklace is this anyway? Why can't we take it off?" Fiona snapped as Leonard approached her from the back. Fiona spun her chair to face the mirror directly, eyeing the jewel as Leonard delicately put his hands on her neck.

"Well, it's a unique piece, to say the least," Leonard replied, trying to keep as quiet as possible. A few minutes back, the spat inside the private change room was so loud that it could be heard out in the halls, so he felt it was best to make as few comments as possible, as not to let it boil over. He wrapped his fingers around the clasp on the back, but found the woman's hair in the way. "Miss Kauffman, can you please lift your hair a bit? I can't reach it completely," he requested, being as civil as possible.

Fiona parted the hair on the back of her head, giving Leonard just enough light to see the necklace. She continued to stare on, her eyes pointing at the mirror while Leonard continued his work. The usually quick task became a bit more difficult thanks to the beers he had earlier clouding his hand-eye coordination. While waiting, Fiona kept staring back to the topaz piece at her collar. The sparkles of the jewel cast a spell on her, captivating her with its beauty and drawing her deeper into the mirror's abyss. "What a beautiful necklace," she murmured to herself, "Only a true beauty is worthy of wearing it."

Behind her, Leonard rolled his eyes, getting another sense of déjà vu as almost any woman seeing the necklace uttered those lines. But nonetheless, he returned his eyes to the unique clasp and continued undoing it, hoping to get the necklace off and get it out of here as soon as possible. Although he couldn't see it from his angle, Fiona blocked out all surrounding distractions, her gaze set solely on the necklace. Rubbing the round jewel in the centre, she asked haughtily, "Don't you think I look good wearing this?"

Given the shaky position he was in, Leonard was intent not to let things get out of hand. He took a quick glance at the mirror and gave Fiona a quick smile. "Let's focus on this task first," he suggested, shifting to something less volcanic, "But it does look okay."

But the gentle steer back to the issue and the small compliment only made things worse, as Fiona threw a temper tantrum right in front of him. "Then why won't he let me wear it? He says it's for his wife, but what does his wife know?" she demanded, tendons on her neck bulging out, "His excuse is that he doesn't want the world to know about us, but I was the one raking in the business for him. If it wasn't for me leading the dancers night in and night out, he wouldn't even have this casino! Now he wouldn't even let me touch it? It's absurd!" she ranted, slamming her already clenched fists onto the counter.

The jolt threw Leonard off course, as his hands bounced away from her neck and didn't loosen the clasp completely. And with Fiona's hands on the counter, her hair came back down, covering the necklace once again. "Miss Kauffman, can you please not move around that much? I can't take off the necklace," Leonard requested as gently as possible.

"Don't move? Like getting locked in this room?" Fiona demanded. In her fury, she whipped her arms around the table top, pushing perfume bottles and other makeup containers onto the ground, some completely broken as they slammed down, "So you're on his side as well, right? That's why you're here to take off this thing, so nobody knows about our relationship? Well I say let them know, just so he can divorce that control freak faster and be with me!" she bellowed, her meteor fist crashing into the mirror.

Leonard hissed under his breath, knowing that whatever tranquil scene present before was nothing but a calm before the storm, as it disappeared quickly and turned into an ugly affair. Even so, he refused to budge and forced his hands back onto Fiona. "The necklace," he stammered, "we must have you take it off…"

"Take it off? Is that all you men know about?" Fiona blasted off like a rocket, whipping her chair aside and confronted Leonard, "Every man wants to take advantage of me, want me to take it all off, want me to give them a show, is it?" she jabbed Leonard's chest hard, shoving the bespectacled man back despite their size difference, "If that's the case, then I refuse to do it! The more you say remove it, the more I'll refuse to take it off! I'm sick of catering to jerks who don't know squat about my feelings!"

Then, in an unexpected move, Fiona grabbed whatever was left on her desk and hurled them at Leonard like repelling some closet monster. As bottles, combs, and brushes sizzled through the air, the jewellery expert could only take cover, lifting his arms to cover his face while ducking towards the door. "Leave, get out! I don't want to see you again! You're all the same, coming in all liquored up thinking you can get a piece of me!" Fiona shouted as her temper raged by the second, "Help, someone remove this jerk from my change room!" she called as another brush sailed at Leonard's head.

Within seconds, the middle-aged female custodian hurried into the room, dodging just in time to see a bottle of perfume shatter right at her feet. "Jerks, they're all jerks! Go away, now!" Fiona continued her barrage of words and objects, even grabbing Leonard's briefcase and hurling it in his direction. "Why are you still here? Get out now! You, take him out of here!" she ordered the custodian, who only stared in shock.

Fiona all but collapsed onto her chair, sobbing and mumbling angrily at the same time. Seeing the situation was hopeless, the custodian escorted Leonard back out, all the while picking up the contents to his briefcase. "I don't think now is the best time to do it," she said soothingly, "Perhaps try again later on. I'll just tell Mr. Perry's assistants that it'll take a while. Can we please go outside?" she suggested, trying to keep a smile on.

* * *

After their dinner, Lloyd and Colette immediately headed off to the beach, where they were to spend the rest of their night. By this time, there were few people left, with most family groups having already departed, and just several couples of various ages here and there getting packed up, leaving the two teens virtually alone in the area, giving them the perfect chance to discuss their relationship. Back at the restaurant, they only touched on their happier moments, but now they realized they should discuss how to go forward in their journey. "Well, what do you think?" Colette asked, her left arm linking to Lloyd's right.

"What do I think about what?" Lloyd replied. His taller stature placed his head right in the way of the wind, blowing straight into his face and messing up his hair. They were still in their usual clothing, Lloyd with the semi-buttoned up shirt and board shorts, Colette in the white tank top with the bottom tied up to reveal parts of her belly. Both were still in a formal mood, not saying or doing anything to jeopardize their position.

But soon enough, one of them was about to lighten the mood up. "Say, Colette? Remember when we said that we should start our relationship by doing all those things we did when we were little again?" Lloyd asked, pulling them closer to the water. The waves pushed against the sand, the splashes echoing through the night. Colette looked on curiously as Lloyd stretched out their linked arms, placing one foot precariously close to the surf. "Well, let's relive some of those memories!" he exclaimed. And in one smooth action, Lloyd whipped out his left leg and kicked the water at Colette, the cool liquid hurling itself onto the blonde like a sandworm from the ground, thoroughly splashing her ankles.

Colette let out a small scream, jumping back onto the sand while Lloyd laughed at her. "It's no use running, Colette," he called, taking off his sneakers and socks, "There's water all over the place, and I'm going to use every drop of it!" He rolled up his sleeves and dipped his hands in the surf, whipping them around and throwing more water at the hesitant girl. "Come on, join in the fun!" he shouted, waving his arms all over.

Colette took a long look at Lloyd, wondering what he was up to. Was this his idea of taking on the serious stuff, a water fight? Then again, she was tempted on getting him back for the surprise attack. She untied her shirt, this time making the tails even longer and tying them up higher, showing her whole belly. Kicking off her sandals, she dashed to the surf, diving in head first and pushing out her arms, splashing Lloyd's body with a huge wave of her own. "You know I'm not going to let up, right?" she retorted giddily.

Lloyd took a gander at his shirt. It was soaked through and through, so much so that even in the darkness, he could see his own skin underneath it. But nonetheless, he took on the challenge as he undid each button one by one, wriggling out of the wet fabric and cast it back onto the sand. "You might not let up," Lloyd taunted, a mischievous grin on his face, "But can you catch up?" he dove off, swimming a fair distance away.

Colette chuckled, feeling glad that the happy and carefree Lloyd was back. The past few days took a toll on them both, as neither knew how to handle the relationship anymore. Lloyd didn't want Colette to be unhappy, but Colette still felt guilty about what happened. But now, it was like all their worries had dissipated, washed away by the very currents they were swimming in. Amidst the waves, Colette heard Lloyd's laughter from a short distance away, urging her on as the stronger swimmer encouraged her to let go of her fears and continued onward. After another gruelling minute, Colette finally caught up to her boyfriend, holding onto him as she gasped slightly for air.

And for the next few minutes, the entire world was a blur as Lloyd and Colette floated in the middle of the ocean, about a hundred metres from shore and with nobody near them. All that mattered to them was here and now, as they bobbed up and down with the currents, holding onto each other and taking in all the love in the world. "I'm really happy we can be back again," Colette began softly, "And I'm sorry for everything I did."

But Lloyd sought to reassure her, facing her directly and gently brushing her wet hair. "No, part of it is my fault as well. I was too possessive at that time because I never knew what it would be like if I ever lost you. But now, I know that the best way to love a person is to let them go sometimes," Lloyd replied, their bodies moving closer, "I now know what it takes to be responsible, and I guarantee I'll make it happen."

After some more time in the water, the two swam back to shore, joking and chuckling along as they headed for the beach. Once they reached land, the two quickly gathered their belongings and flopped themselves down, too tired to do anything. As their chests heaved up and down, they stared out at the night sky, looking at the various stars and constellations. "I recalled you also liked stargazing when you were little," Colette reminded Lloyd, "And you used to be so excited about it every time you showed me."

A small smile emerged on Lloyd's lips, the spiky-haired teen reaching out to his left and holding his girlfriend again. His left hand wriggled its way onto Colette's face while his right pressed onto her dripping shirt, his digits dancing from the knot at the bottom to her bare abdomen. "Maybe this is how we should do things from now on," Colette suggested as she returned the gesture, wrapping her left hand around Lloyd's hip and pressing her right against his bare chest, "I mean, just like how astronomy is your favourite thing, dogs are my favourite thing. We can't change our different tastes, but we can still share it with each other, while respecting our differences too, right?"

Lloyd nodded in agreement, saying nothing at all as both sides reached to a common compromise. His fingers continued downward, stopping at her belly button and traced the rim with them. Unlike Lloyd or Genis, Colette's belly button wasn't nearly at deep, and Lloyd's movement inadvertently brushed the inside quite a few times, causing a few gasps and hiccups from Colette. "Uh, Lloyd, I don't know if we should go for that yet," she gently told the teen, whose expression changed from bliss to surprise.

Figuring that she put him on the spot, Colette bit her lip, hoping to clarify for him. "I mean, I don't know if we should take it to that step, since we just started over again. You know what I mean, right?" she asked, her eyes pleading for an understanding.

But Lloyd knew very well what she meant. He gently pulled her head closer, his chocolate eyes staring right into hers. "Colette, I have no plans for that," he reassured her, "Rushing into that stage is nothing more than a disaster, since we both know from this experience that it takes time to get things right. Besides, the fact that we'll go this route rather than that other one means we're both brave enough to face our problems rather than escape them through you-know-what. In my opinion, anybody resorting to that is just denying their issues, and will be guaranteed a broken relationship no matter what."

"Oh, well, in that case," Colette responded, her cheeks flushing red at her earlier preposition. Despite the embarrassment, Colette actually felt relieved, as Lloyd basically confirmed that he was exactly the type of person she expected him to be: determined and strong, yet gentle and respectful. She inched her face even closer to his, their noses less than an inch apart as they felt their breathing on each other. Colette's right hand roamed Lloyd's body, feeling each crevasse on his developing six-pack and dipping one finger into Lloyd's deeper belly button. The moment they waited for got increasingly closer.

And then, with their hands were still on each other's stomachs, they reached in, their faces getting closer than ever. Just before they connected on the final step, Lloyd stated, "Now I'm really glad Genis isn't here, or else he would have spoiled the mood." He bobbed his head down slightly, signalling to where their respective right hands were.

Colette chuckled, taking a quick gander down to their abdomens before looking back up. Their eyes closed, each side taking a deep breath before sealing their lips. Their mouths locked together as they finally did what they failed to do many times thanks to several interruptions on the trip, drinking in their passion as they shared this loving kiss.

* * *

"So is this how you train all new horses?" Sheena asked as she leaned on the railing at the horse jumping venue. It was evening, and very few riders were left. But amidst the relative quietness, a short teenage girl riding a huge, cinnamon brown gelding caught the Mizuho native's eye. There were pylons and other obstacles scattered in the middle of the course, and Sheena could see the large horse manoeuvre through and over them with relative ease. "It seems like this one is extra energetic, almost like it can't stay still," she commented as it pulled up to her.

The teenage rider glanced down at Sheena and smiled. "First of all, it's a 'he' and his name is Indy. Secondly, he's a royal brat. He's tried to throw me a few times already. I've never fallen off of him, yet," she explained, her hands hanging loosely on the reins, while resting on the horn of the western saddle, "I'm just working on movement by having him run patterns. It helps his flexibility and builds a bond, which creates trust between us. Once we have that, we're all set. That, and having his respect."

Indy inched his face closer to Sheena, nostrils flaring. Sheena reached up to rub the horse's nose, trying to trace the white stripe going up the snout and onto his forehead, which had a strange white-star pattern that leaked into the line on it. Indy snorted, turning his head away from Sheena to eye her and took a deep, shuddering breath.

Sheena stood still, a confused look on her face. The girl laughed, "Knucklehead, she's not going to hurt you," the girl scolded the horse, shaking her head. Turning back to Sheena, she cautioned her last move. "Though you did move your hand a bit too fast for his liking, that's why he reacted that way," the girl smiled at Sheena.

Sheena frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry," she replied, rubbing her hand gently while looking on apprehensively. Across from her, Indy's expression mirrored hers perfectly.

"Don't worry about it. He still has a few trust issues within his head," the girl explained. She reached into her pocket and pulled half a carrot. On the other side of the rails, Sheena looked on in curiosity. "I generally try not to carry anything with me while I ride, in case I fall. But I thought it was better to come prepared in case I did fall and I couldn't find him, seeing as its getting dark out. Nine out of ten horses will do anything for food, including following you around," she shook her head as she passed the carrot to Sheena, "Try feeding him. Hold it out for him on your palm, but hold your palm flat."

Sheena complied with the young rider's order and held the carrot out for Indy. The horse's ears perked up and he moved to look at Sheena. He slowly stepped forward, lowered his muzzle to Sheena and took the carrot out of her hand. The girl patted Indy's neck and Sheena smiled. "Even with his little troublesome quirks, he's still a good horse. A sucker for attention, but they're all like that," the girl continued, rubbing the side of the animal's neck, "I have another horse that I've been asked to compete with, and you'll get a glimpse of him at tomorrow's practice. Would you care to join us again?" she asked.

Sheena was about to reply when suddenly, a muffled scream could be heard from the back. Horse, rider, and spectator all turned in the same direction, squinting into the shadows to locate the source of said sound. From her higher position, the horse rider pointed to the back balcony of the casino, where a shadow could be seen scurrying away. "I think there's something wrong over there," she stated, "Let's go check it out."

Sheena quickly whipped out her cell phone, quickly dialling for Zelos, who was supposedly inside the casino at this time. She had asked him if he wanted to join her in seeing the horses earlier, but he politely declined, citing he wanted the excitement of the gambling tables instead. But seeing that danger was around, she had to warn him about it. "Zelos, pick up, will you?" she hissed. Behind her, the gate to the venue slammed shut as the teenage horse rider hurried out after her, leaving Indy standing there, staring on.

"Hello, Sheena! What's going on?" the cheerful, carefree tone of Zelos Wilder echoed through the earpiece, "I just won a good few games in a row here, and I'm heading out now. You're at the horse jumping venue just behind the casino, right? If you want, I'll come and show you how much I got. By the way, are there any hunnies there?"

"Zelos, something weird just happened," Sheena explained, the rate of her breathing and footsteps increasing in parallel, "I heard a scream from the casino's back, and then saw a shadow fade off in a balcony. I think someone's just been attacked."

"What? Are you serious? Right here in the casino?" Zelos exclaimed, his voice blaring so loudly into Sheena's ear that the Mizuho native had to yank her phone an arm's length away, "Wow, this is no laughing matter. Is everyone alright around you? Do you have any clue what happened? Where's the…Holy Crow!"

"Zelos, what happened?" Sheena cried, freezing suddenly and nearly caused the young horse rider to run into her. All they could hear from the phone was static, with some incoherent mumbling here and there. Nodding to each other, the two dashed off into the distance, hoping to catch Zelos before he got into any more problems. It took Sheena and her friend a few minutes before reaching the other side.

But it was too late as two security guards already apprehended Zelos, who merely pointed at another dead body lying at the stairs before him. "I didn't do it, honest! I just reached for her pulse!" he stuttered, his finger quivering as the guards patted him down.

Sheena and the teenage girl gasped, seeing another beautiful woman blooded and battered at the bottom of the stairs. And in the centre of her collar was that supposedly cursed jewel, the Heart of Balacruf. Sheena only covered her mouth in shock, her face turning green just as Zelos bellowed, "Why do I always run into dead people?"

* * *

"Wow, this luxury suite isn't too bad after all. It can certainly match penthouse suites," Gil commented as he flopped onto the couch, stretching his arms and leaning back. After a quick check of the room, the former mole was pleasantly surprised at the conveniences it supplied, despite his downgrade from penthouse. "And why won't it be comfy? I'm still paying penthouse money, you know?" he said to no one in particular.

But as his eyes scanned the room, it wasn't to admire its design or offers; rather, he was intent on finding the right piece to complete his puzzle. "I know it's around here somewhere, but I just can't find it," he murmured, the dual orbs not missing a single detail as they scrutinized every corner, nook and cranny, "Once I find the inspiration, then I can get down to more serious business," he concluded, his hand grabbing his laptop.

Just then, the shrill ring of Gil's cell phone snapped the Iselia native out of his observation trance. Gil shot the offending object a dark look as he roughly snatched it off the coffee table. "Why are you calling me now?" he mumbled, irritated eyes piercing through the caller ID as he picked up the call, "Hello, Sheena?" he greeted her gruffly.

"Gil, I really want your help! Zelos and I were at the casino, and I was watching the horse jump practices. I was talking with this rider when suddenly there was this muffled scream. So I called Zelos wondering if he saw anything and then, when I got out, he was on top of a dead body and was being arrested by police! I really don't know what happened, but I know he didn't do it. But I don't know what proof I have to show them, so I really want your help!" Sheena blubbered, distress emanating from her tone.

"Hold on, you said Zelos got arrested again?" Gil tried to clarify with her, "And this was because he tripped over a dead body, or at least that's what you're implying, am I right? Why does this sound so much like that Candy Shallow death?"

"It is! In fact, they're identical!" Sheena exclaimed, her pitch increasing by the second, "It was a young woman, she died at the bottom of a staircase, and she had on that Heart of Balacruf necklace! And Zelos is about to be hit again if we don't do something! Please, what can I do to get him out? I don't want him to go through that again!"

"Hold on, was the police there? Did you give a testimony? If you did see Zelos away from the body when she died, then it'll clear him completely," Gil instructed calmly. Deep down, something at the second auction kept bothering him. And now, with that casino owner Perry taking the necklace only to have another person die while wearing it, something definitely felt wrong. "Did you talk to the police at all?" he asked in a level-headed tone.

"I did, but I didn't actually see Zelos away from the body. All I did was talk on the phone with him after I heard the scream, and then he tripped over her!" Sheena ranted at Gil, frantically racking her brain for more clues, "The proof's not strong enough, no?"

Gil rubbed his goatee, mulling over the strength of a phone call. "But if the call time is right, then it should lead to police away from Zelos. If he's still in the casino or away from the back when he received your call, then it'll be all good. My advice is to leave your phone with the police and head on back. If they check your records and find it matching to Zelos' phone records, then he should be innocent," Gil concluded, "And if you have other witnesses that can point to your case, then bring them forward ASAP."

After reassuring Sheena that everything was alright, Gil ended his call and turned on his laptop. He quickly called Lloyd to check if he and Colette had safely returned to their rooms. When the answer was positive, he put his phone away and focused on the laptop monitor. "Now I got you right where I want you," he muttered, stretching his arms.

Gil's fingers went fast and furious over the keyboard, jabbing at each letter key with bountiful energy. The past few days really sparked something inside his brain, even as ideas were overflowing already. It was just that he was interrupted so many times with his friends being arrested, the police approaching him for help, and monitoring Lloyd and Colette in their relationship, that he never got a good chance to go at it. Now that he was alone in the room, the river of thoughts could finally flow into the ocean known as his laptop. "It's not like anybody's spying on me, so why worry?" he declared aloud.

Before long, Gil was entirely absorbed into the document, not even worrying about Zelos and Sheena at the police station, or if Lloyd and Colette had any success in patching up their relationship. All that mattered was his novel as he poured his inspiration into it. By the time he was satisfied, it was already pitch dark outside. "Wow, where did all that time go?" he asked himself, checking the clock on the wall. "It's near midnight already, and I still haven't pulled the blinds, or brushed my teeth, or whatever."

Gil quickly saved his document, turned off his laptop and went to the bathroom. Unlike his more animated performance in the centre of the room, his nightly cleanup routine was done in silence as he swiftly changed into his sleep wear of a short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts, brushed his teeth and clopped up to bed. He packed up the laptop and charger, putting them on the lamp desk next to his bed. Yawning one last time, he pushed his left arm out to turn off the light switch. As darkness descended upon the room, Gil whipped his arm around and pulled it near him, so keen on a good night's rest that he didn't even notice his arm knocking off the charger sitting on top of his laptop, the small box-like object hitting the carpeted floor with a soft whump as Gil tucked himself in.

* * *

And for the record, the Colloyd scene at the beach, although somewhat suggestive, is not meant to be sexual (as Lloyd pointed out). My stance on sex is that it doesn't truly enhance relationships as most people claim, and I'm not too keen on putting my favourite couples, in TOS and otherwise, in a sex scene. I hope you can respect my decision and move on to the next chapter!


	9. My Friend, My Stalker

**Mandrakefunnyjuice **was the only reviewer, and I want to welcome her back to my stories after a long absence. Anyway, one case will be solved here, and you'll see how **I.K.A. Valian** helps Gil solve it.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

Early next morning, Childress was at the lobby again, inspecting all his workers and greeting many of the guests staying there. But instead of putting on his usual charm, there was a slight sense of irritation in his movement, with a slight twitch that was noticeable to those who worked closely with him. Nonetheless, staff members were too busy to pay much attention to that. The hotel manager observed them with a hawk's eye, presiding over all daily business with an iron fist as he paced in the central area.

But one set of eyes was peeled for Childress. A tan-skinned young man in a tropical T-shirt took several sneak peeks at him behind a newspaper. The young man wasn't supposed to be here, as his shift behind the hotel bar usually started at noon. But there was a special request from a guest he had gotten along quite well with asking him to watch Childress from the lobby. Sighing, he flipped a page on the newspaper, trying to straighten it out while looking at the lobby's clock. Check-out time for this guest was supposedly nine a.m., and the seconds were ticking by slower than ever.

The off-duty bartender glanced at Childress, who stared at his watch impatiently as well. The guest did tell him that Childress was part of the issue, and that he expected Childress to throw him out of his luxury suite at nine sharp, so was this part of a plan to stay in for longer? "He's paying full price for it, so why does Childress want to kick him out?" the young man wondered aloud, clacking his tongue in thought.

After an excruciating few minutes, the minute hand finally crept to the top of the hour, taking that last step like a mountaineer reaching the top of the Fooji Mountains. The bartender stared at Childress, who did indeed proceed to the front desk. The young man gasped sharply, realizing that it might be too late. "I've got to call him," he murmured, fumbling into his pocket for his cell phone.

But Childress never got to the desk because a staff member stopped him for some quick advice. The tan-skinned individual breathed a sigh of relief, but still remained tense as he pecked at the numbers on the phone. Dark pools of anxiety kept glancing at his superior as he brought the phone to his ears. "Come on, pick up," he muttered, his free hand wiping his chin nervously as the call tried to connect.

Luckily, the other side was swift enough to answer before Childress could get another step off. "Listen, he's going to the front desk right now. If you're proceeding with the plan, now's your chance," the bartender whispered heatedly into the mouthpiece.

Within seconds, the other side thanked the young man and hung up. The newspaper was forgotten by now, grasped tightly at the bartender's side as he watched Childress send the junior staff member on his way and stepped up to the front desk.

"There's a guest at one of our luxury suites that is supposed to check out at this time. Give him a call to see what's taking him so long!" Childress barked at the reception staff, his hands on his hips as he continued to monitor the lobby. His eyes grazed past the plush seats in the far end, where a curly-haired head ducked behind a blood red chair.

Just as the receptionist was about to pick up the phone, it rang. It startled the man and drew Childress' attention back. "Hello, reception?" the bald man greeted, staring forward as he listened to the person on the other side, "Alright, we'll send someone up," he answered before placing it back in the holder. "The occupant in the same room you talked about lost something and wanted it found before leaving," he reported.

The hotel manager's eyebrows twitched, not wanting the annoying guest to continue his occupation in that room. "I'll go upstairs right now," he decided, leaving the front desk in a hurry. He headed for the elevators, hurrying into an open one and slapping the button for the eleventh floor, still fuming as the doors closed on him.

From the plush chairs, the off duty bartender saw the entire situation unfold. He quickly mashed the redial button on his cell phone. When the other side picked up he reported what transpired in the lobby with just a few words. "Childress is on the way."

* * *

Just as the doors dinged open at the eleventh floor, Childress exited the elevator in a huff, blasting through the hallways and heading straight for the room. By the time he reached the door, there was already a staff member going through the room while a tall, goateed man leaned on his crutches with a concerned expression. "It couldn't be lost, could it? I couldn't have possibly dropped it somewhere," he murmured worriedly.

"Mr. Irving," Childress called as he strode in from the door. The former mole lifted his head to glance at the individual wearing a dark suit and tie before him show that fake charm as he asked, "Have you lost something? How can we help you?"

"Mr. Childress, you're just the person I want to see. I was typing up my novel last night and when I went to bed, I placed my laptop on that desk and the charger on top of it," Gil explained, pointing to the bedside table, "But then this morning, when I was getting ready to leave, I can't find the charger. I've got to find it if I want to keep using my laptop, but it's nowhere to be found!" Gil concluded with exasperatedly.

Childress was taken aback, not expecting the usually unpredictable Gilbert Irving to approach him with such an ordinary request. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his fake charm back onto his face and nodded astutely. "The room's not that big, I'm sure we can find it," he assured Gil, wandering off to the bed, "This is where you last had it, right?"

"Does the hotel even have a lost and found? Maybe it's there," Gil suggested to no one in particular as his mumbling became more and more incoherent. While he had his face to the younger staff member, Gil could see Childress bend down from the side of his left eye. "Wait, nobody's in here but me, so what am I saying?"

Childress all but blocked out Gil's rambling as he reached under the table. To his surprise, the charger wasn't there. "That can't be right," he muttered. He patted the area a few times to check, but his hand felt nothing but the carpeted floor. "I could have sworn that it was right here, now where did it go?" He looked all around the area like hunting for some hidden treasure, baffled by the object's absence.

Quickly, Childress stood up and headed for the door. "Relax, Mr. Irving," he told Gil as he exited the room and into the hallway, "We'll find it and have you out in no time." He marched back to the elevators, slapping the button for down as Gil looked on. As the hotel manager left the floor, he couldn't see an evil smirk line itself on Gil's face.

It took Childress more than five minutes before he could return to the security room, closing the door behind him to get away from all the other staff members wanting to approach him for questions. Taking a deep breath, he finally approached the desk, where all the security tapes of the previous night and before were stored. For Childress, it was usually the security head who was in charge of sorting each tape, but there was one in particular that he wanted: the one from the camera he secretly installed in Gil's luxury suite, aimed straight for the bed and had the best view of the bedside table. From there, he figured, it should pinpoint the location of the laptop charger. "The sooner I get that back to him, the better, or he'll never leave," Childress mumbled as he opened the box.

It would be another five minutes before Childress located the tape, as the security team placed it at the bottom of the box. Shaking his head, he popped it into the player and turned on the monitor before him. He rewound the tape back to the time when Gil turned off the lights, the screen showing a scene of darkness until the time reversed itself to near midnight, where the light was flicked on and illuminating the room entirely. Childress stopped it near the time Gil approached the bed, and eased it forward at normal speed.

Just like it was shown last night, Gil placed his crutches beside the table, and put the laptop on the surface and the charger on top of that. Childress saw Gil stretch out his arm, pull it into his body as the lights faded, and the charger falling off from the laptop. "I don't believe it, the charger should be right there," Childress murmured. He rewound the tape again, this time playing it at half speed and zooming into the table. Again, the same action was taken, with the arm whipping out and knocking off the charger. "So why can't I find it?" Childress wondered, cupping his chin with his hand.

Just then, the door to the dark chamber opened, revealing the face of Gil Irving. "Psst, you don't have to look at the tape. I have it right here." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the white rectangular object, waving it at Childress' face. With his crutches, he pushed the door wider and showed Lieutenant Arnold standing behind him. "I also brought along a friend too, just to show him my novel ideas," he announced.

But Arnold got right down to business. "Mr. Nick Childress, the Altamira police believes you are connected to the death of Masako Hirano and the attempted murder of Sheena Fujibyashi. We request you come with us to the station for an official testimony, and all the tapes here be turned over to police immediately!" he ordered, taunting the hotel manager be waving a warrant in Childress' face, "And mind you, we don't want any more vague stories like the ones you gave the last time we were here, got it?"

Childress silently complied, stepping out of the office as Arnold signalled his team to enter. As the boxes were packed, Gil whipped out his cell phone and called for Sheena. "This is Gil. Please come to the police station. We got a breakthrough on the Masako case," he described, making way as the police lift the boxes out, "What's that? You have a witness for Zelos at the casino? Well, bring them in as well. We'll just record you guys' testimonies later on. See you in a bit."

Arnold turned back to Gil as the Iselia native pocketed the phone. "Is it alright if I grab someone here with me?" Gil asked, "I think he'll be useful in this case too."

* * *

Soon enough, Sheena and the young horse rider she met at the casino last night hurried into the police station. The rider was about to show Sheena her other horse when Gil called, and had to put the horse back into his stable before taking off. But that didn't stop Sheena from inquiring about that horse. "I've never seen one with that much hair," the Mizuho native quipped, "His feet almost seem to have manes of their own!"

The teenager smiled. "They're called feathers. Most draft breeds have them. And with his huge tail, it's pretty obvious why we nicknamed him Hairball," she responded, taking the stairs two steps at a time with Sheena. Instead of her usual attire, today she had on a white T-shirt, jeans, and black paddock boots. She did her hair into a pony tail, and had a pair of old leather gloves with the finger tips missing hanging from the back pants pocket. She never had a chance to put them away when Gil requested their presence.

"But Hairball does seem kind of awkward though. He's got such a short back, and with that huge butt of his! His legs are really thick as well, and his body's almost totally white, but with those black patches and a few brown spots. And what's with that big white blaze down his face?" Sheena asked as they pulled open the doors of Arnold's unit.

The teenager laughed. "That thing is called a blaze," she promptly replied.

"Ah," Sheena mused, nodding her head as she chewed the word over. "So given their different appearances, I assume Indy and Hairball are of different breeds?"

"Indy is a quarter horse, while Hairball is a Gypsy Vanner," the girl replied, "Quarter horses are the fastest horses when running in a quarter of a mile, hence their name. They generally have lots of muscles on the rears and fronts to generate that speed. Gypsy Vanners were bred and raised by Gypsies for their gentle temperaments and their flash and flare. And because they're so gentle, little children can handle them. They're also pretty strong so they could pull caravans but are small and compact enough for a family horse." She shrugged as a man on crutches approached them, "Hairball is normally ridden with an English saddle, one of the ones without a horn on the front, so that's why I'm jumping with him, and not Indy. He's really a good horse, and if we still have time today after we deal with our testimonies here, I'll show you our routine."

Sheena nodded, and together they turned to face the goateed man. "Hello Sheena, and thanks for bringing your friend, although I must say we've met before," Gil greeted the two, "We're dealing with Masako's case first, so only Sheena can enter this time. We'll deal with bailing out Zelos afterwards, so I'm afraid our horse fan will have to wait in the other room," he explained, gesturing one door down, "Don't worry, once Sheena and I are done here, we'll come for you," he assured her with a wink.

The teenager nodded with a smile, thanking Gil as she headed off. Gil then turned his attention to Sheena, inviting her into the room where several police officers gathered around a table. Although it seemed like an ordinary office, the atmosphere was anything but ordinary. "We have a new prime suspect in our investigation," Gil announced to Sheena, pointing to the chair where a seated figure faced away from the door, "We felt it's best that we bring you in here to help us clear everything up."

A nearby officer led Sheena to another chair on the other end of the table, while Gil placed himself between the two. Sheena craned to look across Gil's body, and saw a familiar face sitting with his head down, a glum expression etched into his face. Upon a closer look, she gasped. "Why's he here?" she choked out, one hand covering her mouth.

"Let's refresh everyone's memories, shall we?" Gil began, ignoring Sheena's whimpering, "A few days ago, Masako Hirano, manager of the insurance and warranties unit of the Lezareno Company, was killed in his hotel room. And soon after, the first suspect in the case showed up: my friend and travel mate, Sheena Fujibyashi from Mizuho. And indeed, she's the prime suspect, since she's the only person to show up in his room at the time of death, based on both security videos and eyewitness accounts."

Sheena looked up, a look of worry in her eyes. Gil turned his head slightly to his left, his half-closed eyes giving Sheena a strange side-glance. "Sheena has almost all of the basic traits of a prime suspect. She could get close to Masako because she's an old friend, and she's been invited into his room earlier in the day, so Masako obviously did not view her as a threat. But what went on inside that room, however, was anything but ordinary," Gil described. He leaned forward casually on his crutches, his eyes still on Sheena as he spoke in a calm and clear tone, "During the visit, Masako proceeded to harass or assault you, in which you responded by smacking his head with a bottle, yes?"

Upon hearing that, Sheena waved her arms frantically and placed her hands in the form of a T. "No, stop it. Don't say 'smack', say 'tap'," she emphasized strongly.

"Alright, Sheena then tapped Masako on the head with a bottle. And upon doing that, she promptly left the room. She returned later in the night after realizing she left her wallet and passport there, having forgotten them during the mad dash out," Gil corrected himself, still looking at Sheena, "But if it was that simple, then clearly Sheena can claim self-defence, as she did when she was first arrested. The question is, how can we prove it? Are there indeed signs of battle in that room at that time? Well, thanks to a special volunteer from the Lezareno Company, we soon found out."

Gil lifted an arm and waved a moustachioed, grey-haired man from the crowd. "I think we all have to give George our gratitude for being a guinea pig. Even as he neared sixty, he was willing to sacrifice his own body and turn himself into a human milkshake for me. Unfortunately, I, with my current condition, wasn't in any position of shaking," Gil stated, gesturing at the two wooden pole on his either side, "But George's superior, Mr. Regal Bryant, sure was, and he proved just how hard it was to pull off buttons."

George shuddered as the images of him being tossed about like a rag doll in a hurricane replayed itself like a horror movie. Gil smiled, putting a hand on George's shoulder as he continued, "Sheena's vest had buttons ripped off, meaning most likely a struggle occurred inside. And cause of death was also consistent with Sheena's story."

Lieutenant Arnold stepped up from his position on the side, flipping through some papers in a folder. "Cause of death was blunt force trauma as a result of multiple blows to the head," he reported, "So if Sheena was telling the truth, she couldn't have killed him."

Gil nodded, looking intently ahead as he continued his analysis. "So that means there must be another person who killed him, and it's most likely someone who can get close to Masako. Looking through the evidence bag from the garbage that my friend Frank Brunel collected, there were indeed items belonging to a woman. And from Regal and George, the Lezareno files show that three wealthy women were Masako's most common clients, so I assumed they ought to be suspects as well," Gil continued, "But soon that theory got turned on its head, as Assistant DA Murdoch, Mrs. Simon, and Mrs. Chalmers all claimed they weren't there. In fact, even Mrs. Murdoch, the one who came closest to time of death, departed a few hours before Sheena went in. And curiously, all three named the same person as their witness on proving their absence."

Gil then set his sights to his right, where Childress remained stoic. Gil could see from his angle that there were cracks showing on his armour, and the upcoming relentless assault would cause him to reveal some information. "I understand that as the manager you have responsibility to ensure your clients' privacies. But the fact that you can show up to wherever I go ever since police first approached me made me truly wonder what's going on. Then, it hit me. When the police requested the security tapes, I caught a glimpse of the security room, and indeed cameras were recording almost every part of the hotel. That's how you know where I was at any given time. But another strange thing popped up. How can you see everyone, but not the killer? In fact, the videos from the eleventh floor captured the elevator and the hallway perfectly, yet you still can't see anything?"

Childress remained tight-lipped, but Gil was about to deliver the final blow. "Due to the lack of evidence, there was no official charge laid on Sheena. But it didn't stop a second similar attack, this time targeting Sheena herself." Gil turned to face Sheena again, who looked on anxiously and in slight fear as she waited for Gil to announce her attacker, "But thanks to a courageous effort by my friend and fellow former mole, Zelos Wilder, the assault was thwarted, although leaving him with significant damage to his cast. But coincidentally, the weapon of choice was the same as last time: a wine bottle."

Gil smirked, his head turning back to Childress. "This time, a whole new sense of inspiration came to me. The first came from my son Lloyd and his half-elf friend, Genis Sage the belly button fanatic. There's certainly nothing to see with two boys wrestling in my room, competing for the bathroom, all the while dressed in only their underwear. But the fact that they wore totally different underwear reminded me of something. I checked my laptop for the evidence list and indeed, there was something in the garbage bag."

Lieutenant Arnold nodded, flipping to another page in his folder. "One pair of briefs, and one pair of boxers, both laced with male DNA. The boxer shorts belong to the victim, but the other is so far unknown," he described, listing off the details like a menu, "But I'm sure Gil will fill in those blanks for us, yes?" he suggested, winking at Gil.

Gil nodded back, the smirk growing even wider. "Then the second inspiration hit. Both attacks were done via a wine bottle. Since you claimed Masako ordered wine, there must be an order form somewhere, which led me to the hotel's bartender." Gil waved his hand again, and this time a tan skinned young man stepped forth, "You were too busy at the second auction, and police was there to further question you later on, which gave me a free pass at the bar. Indeed, in the books, there was an order for wine from Masako on the night of death. Now, we can't confirm this order thanks to Masako's death, but something unusual was there too. The book also has an order from Sheena the same night she was attacked. But according to both Sheena and Zelos, they never ordered anything at all, and said you told them it was on the house. So where did this come from?"

Gil then hobbled over to the bartender and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Some private conversations with my friend here allowed me to find out some disturbing things, and inspired me to set up a plan. All I required at the time was an accomplice…"

"_So obviously, there's something wrong here," Gil pointed out the questionable line to the bartender, "According to police reports, neither Sheena nor Zelos ordered the wine that night. In fact, they both said it was Mr. Childress who offered it for free." Gil stared at the young man with suspicion, "Has there been any fudging on the books in the past few days? And how much do you know about it?" he quizzed._

_The bartender bit his lower lip, his eyes filled with worry as the words near the offending line blurred, leaving only that order visible to him. Taking a deep breath, he slowly began. "It was two nights ago, when you guys were having dinner at the dining hall. Mr. Childress came up to me and told me that there was an order for wine from the eleventh floor, for Sheena Fujibyashi. I asked him for an order form for billing confirmation purposes. He said there was none since it was a special order. That alone got me really suspicious, because it's totally against our hotel policy to issue alcohol without confirming orders from the front desk."_

_Gil cocked an eyebrow. If that were the case, then was it possible that Masako had the same thing? "Then why did you issue alcohol then? If it's against policy, you clearly have to speak up, even if it's against your own superior," Gil pointed out._

_The bartender swallowed. "Well, given that I'm still going to university, I need any income I can get. Bartending during the summer is the only thing I've been able to find. I was hoping to continue on a part-time basis, mostly on weekends, when school starts. But Mr. Childress threatened to discontinue my contract and blacklist me at all jobs in the area," the bartender sighed, having let the dark secret out of the bag, "I had no choice. If I wanted to have any job to help put me through university, I had to obey."_

_Gil exhaled angrily, sickened by the underhanded tactics Childress relied on to get his way. But this also opened a door for him to get through with his case. "You know, you're in the perfect position to get the man in big trouble, and in the process make sure you never have to face his threats on the job," Gil offered in a more optimistic tone, "I can definitely see you in a hard spot, so that's why if you cooperate with the police in finding out about the attacks, I can guarantee that you won't deal with him again."_

_The bartender cocked an eyebrow, surprised and puzzled by Gil's preposition. "Just how do we do that? If Mr. Childress is guilty, then what happens to my job?" he asked, "And what guarantee will you have that him being a suspect won't affect me?"_

_Gil smiled, putting a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I used to be a mole, and I dealt with a crazy extremist organization bent on destroying the world. What makes you think I can't deal with a shady manipulator like him?" he responded, winking an eye._

* * *

"And it is with this young man's help that we managed to do the unexpected," Gil declared, staring at Childress with taunting eyes, "We set you up. The police told me that they suspected a fifth visitor, outside of the three wealthy ladies and Sheena. This fifth visitor could very well be male, and most likely is the killer. Added to the fact that you know pretty much everything going on inside this hotel with your cameras, it probably comes as no surprise that I would suspect you placed one inside the bedroom. I already noticed something unusual with Sheena's air conditioner when I saw her room after she was attacked, so was there something unusual in Masako's room?"

Gil then limped over to Childress and stared at him with condescending eyes. "I ended up coughing out more dough than expected just to downgrade my room for one night, all based on the premise that the fifth visitor may be caught on a security camera that was placed inside that room. And I used the dropping of the laptop charger as my main source to confirm my idea," he explained mockingly, "My bartender friend, who spied on you the entire morning, told me when you would throw me out. That's when I said I lost my charger and won't be checking out. Naturally, you were concerned about my presence, and went straight for where I dropped it. Lo and behold, it was gone, because my friend also told me when you left the lobby, and I already picked it up when you were in the elevator." Gil winked at the bartender, who nodded and smiled, "Not bad for a rookie."

Arnold would send one more volley at Childress, who was already defenceless by now. "When we went to the hotel the night of the second auction, we were asking you for a voluntary finger print or DNA sample. You refused, citing there was no need. But now with all the evidence gathered here, especially with what Gil had found, we can surely get one with you in custody. My question revolves around this. Are you perhaps protecting the killer, or are you the killer himself?" he demanded, shooting darts at Childress.

Childress' face completely froze, knowing that the evidence had him cornered in every way. Moistening his lips, he realized he had to tell his story. "Yes, I did place a camera inside Masako's room. To be honest, I've actually been noticing him since he moved in. He seems like such an interesting person, and I can't help but check on his room more frequently than I do with others," he described, his eyes in a trance, "But when I saw several wealthy-looking women enter and exit during the first few days, I did get curious. But it was only after barging in after a rough night that I found out why…"

"_So you mean, all those women, they're your clients?" Childress asked, his eyes larger than saucers and a bewildered expression etched onto his face. Childress was on his usual room checking duties when he heard crashing and banging, along with other cries of agony as he passed by Masako's room. Wondering what was going on, he immediately pounded on the door, only to have Masako rudely tell him to leave._

"_Yes, and I can't believe how low I had to sink just to get them to stay," Masako sobbed, his head collapsing into his arms as tears flowed freely from his eyes. The room looked more like a warzone than a negotiation setting by the time Childress used his master card key to open the door. There were shattered objects everywhere, juice and other liquids splattered against the wall, and Masako's briefcase looked like a demolition crew just tore through it. Childress could only look on, wondering what rage or frustration Masako vented after dealing with the lady who visited him not even two hours ago._

_Then, without warning, Masako grabbed a sharp object from the ground and aimed it at his wrist. "Just let me die, please let me die!" he cried, prepared to shove it in. Seeing the frightening scene, Childress immediately rushed to him._

_Masako's arm was put into a half-nelson hold as Childress lunged for the knife. "Mr. Hirano, that's not right! You shouldn't be doing this!" Childress insisted, trying to dislodge the blade from Masako, "Can you just calm down for a minute?" he bellowed._

_After some wrestling on the ground, Childress finally managed to tear the knife away from Masako. Spiking it to the ground, he grabbed Masako and scolded him. "Can you think about this clearly through your head? Your death won't make a difference to these rich ladies!" he shouted, squeezing Masako's shoulders like an orange, "You are a good man, and you shouldn't let a bunch of rich folks play you, nor should you let what they say or do get you down! You have to get up again, you hear me?"_

_But all that could be heard from Masako was nonstop weeping, as the Lezareno manager didn't even have the energy to lift his head from the ground. Childress stared at the pitiful man before him, and then, as if an invisible force pushed him forward, the hotel manger wrapped his arms around Masako in a tight hug. There was something about the situation that told him not to leave, and perhaps to stay around with Masako even longer, at least until his wounds were healed again._

* * *

"That's when I temporarily moved into Masako's room, just to lift him back to his feet," Childress continued, his eyes not leaving the front. It was as if his entire head had been planted in place, staring blankly ahead like a statue, "In the day I monitored the hotel, while he worked and dealt with his clients, with whom he got to know better during the following days. Then, at night, we were together, sleeping in the same room." An odd smile lined itself across Childress' lips, "It didn't matter that we were two men sharing the same bathroom. All that mattered to me was that Masako was in good spirits again."

"But it went further than that, didn't it?" Arnold asked, his arms crossed against his chest, "Even when he no longer wanted you, you realized that it was you who wanted him, and that's why you placed a secret camera somewhere in his room, right?"

Childress again smiled, looking like he was floating on clouds. "I wanted to know his every move, just to make sure he'll still be alright. But it was the same three ladies who showed up to his room every night, and every time they got bolder in enticing him."

_Childress entered the dark security room, flopping onto the main chair and sighing after a rough day at work. As he sat there with his eyes closed, his mind drifted back to a certain luxury suite on the eleventh floor. Somehow he didn't feel complete unless he took a peek at the occurrences inside that room. Lifting an eyelid, Childress' hand became a snake, stalking its prey as it slithered towards the remote control. Like lightning, it struck, wrapping his fingers around the terrified remote control and pulling it into the mouth known as Childress' lap. With a soft click, one of the screens flicked on._

"_Hello, how are you?" Masako's voice could be heard as he opened his door for a well-dressed woman with blond, wavy-hair. Childress recognized the visitor almost immediately, the name Murdoch popping into his mind. The assistant DA strutted into the room and dropped her briefcase at the foot of the bed. Masako promptly closed the door and approached her. "Are you tired today?" he asked in a honey-sweet tone._

"_Of course! I was doing a very important case in court," the assistant DA replied haughtily. She leaned herself back onto the bed, supporting herself by the elbows as she slowly lifted her legs up, stretching them out and blocking Masako's path to the desk._

_Masako saw the gesture and smiled. "You want a massage, yes?" he offered, the fake charm still on his face. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Masako wrapped his hands around her calves and gently squeezed them, kneading them up and down and loosening the tight muscles. Sensing she had Masako's attention wrapped around her, Murdoch decided to milk his efforts. She straightened out the leg even more, kicking off her high heels and bending her other knee up, gently rubbing Masako's side as he continued his worked, getting the Lezareno manager quite flustered._

_From Childress' room, all the hotel manager could do was to shake his head. This Mrs. Murdoch was Masako's newest client, and was only in his room the second time, yet she already acted like he was her own personal masseur. Even the last time around, she did more ordering than discussing of the warranty, but Masako didn't show any sign of opposition. Breathing a huge, frustrated sigh, Childress could only watch helplessly as Murdoch continued to make Masako putty in her hands, secretly hoping that the next visitor, whoever it might be, would have more respect for Masako's dignity._

_But whatever wish Childress had turned out to be fruitless, as the next night brought forth another tough customer. The dance enthusiast, Mrs. Simon, came into the room in a full nightgown and a collection of ballroom music. A simple press of a button and slow music filled the room, the clear vision of Masako holding onto Simon slowly dancing being broadcasted onto Childress' screen. All that seemed pretty normal until the end of the song. Childress half-expected the couple to release each other and bow, but Simon then took the chance to tackle Masako onto the bed._

_Masako writhed for a while, before Simon reached into his suit jacket and undid all the buttons. Soon enough, the jacket was loose, and so was his tie. And as Simon got to ravaging Masako in a tongue battle, Childress' breathing and pulse increased in pace, his blood pressure rising by the second. Again, another rich woman chose to make Masako their plaything rather than treating the man with respect. And again, Masako was helpless, or at least refusing to retaliate. With his hope fading faster than the two wrestling figures on his screen, Childress could only hope that Masako's last and oldest client, expected to show up the next night, be a bit more normal._

_Yet Mrs. Chalmers, the animal lover, turned out to be the worst of the bunch. The fact that she was Masako's oldest client only gave her a larger sense of entitlement. Not only did she force Masako to act in the same ways he did with Murdoch and Simon, making him massage her and get intimate with her, but she did the absolute unthinkable. "You know, this warranty is for Bebe, and that means she's your client," she stated._

_"Well, anything to keep your dog happy, Madam," Masako replied, straightening out his shirt. Other than the non-stop physical contact, Masako also had to hear all the stories about Bebe, and what amazing things this dog could do. Now, despite managing to convince Chalmers to buy the warranty for the mana doggy comfort set, there was a strange feeling inside Masako's gut that told him it wasn't over yet._

_"Since Bebe's your new client, I think you should give her something extra special," Chalmers said, clapping her hands to get the golden retriever to come over. The dog trotted to the bed, her tongue dropping out and panting at Masako as the plump woman continued, "Since she brought you business, you should reward her with a kiss!"_

_Masako's eyes grew wide at the suggestion. There was no way he was kissing a dog, as the thought horrified him. With jittery movements and hesitant advancements, it was evident that it was something that disgusted him. But this didn't go unnoticed by Chalmers, who shot him a death glare. "This is your customer, and the customer is always right," she spat coldly, "You want me to pull out of the agreement right now?"_

_Grimacing at the threat, Masako got onto his knees and faced the dog. From the security room, Childress got so furious that the pencil in his hand snapped in half like an old twig, his face twisted in agony at the sight of the one he lifted back up returning to his old self-degrading attitude, doing whatever disgusting act possible to get his clients back._

* * *

"But it didn't work out, did it?" Gil continued interrogating Childress, a cold stare fixated upon the hotel manager, "You couldn't get him to stop choosing this route, and stop degrading himself, and he hasn't felt the need to reject this lifestyle either."

Childress shook his head, helplessness changing to anger as he explained, "I did approach him once, but that meant revealing to him that I was spying on him. But instead of accepting my advice, he ended up telling me to leave him alone, and that my only way of helping him was to keep his clients happy when they come into the hotel," Childress exhaled angrily again, his hands slowly clenching themselves, "I've never seen someone that ungrateful. It's almost like he forgot that I was the one who gave him his life back."

"In other words, you thought you became his friend, maybe more. But he didn't return that attitude, is that correct?" Arnold responded, glaring at the seated man from the side opposite to Gil, "But that's where Sheena Fujibyashi came in, no?"

Childress nearly hyperventilated at the mention of that name, causing the Mizuho native sitting at the other end of the table to glance over nervously. Trying to see around Arnold, Sheena could catch a glimpse of blood vessels and tendons bulging out from the hotel manager's temple and neck, his hands squeezing something to death. In a seething tone, Childress hissed, "So suddenly, his old friend shows up, and his attention is shifted away even more. I had to do something, and that's why I offered the wine. I made sure that it was the strongest one there is, so that he'll be drunk quicker, and do more stupid things. I want him to feel what it's like to see his own friend ditch him…"

_Childress pushed the cart into the room silently, watching Sheena as she dashed into the room just seconds before. After making sure everything was ready, he nodded politely at Masako and turned to the hall, power walking his way back to the elevator. The door to Masako's room shut with a solid bang as Childress hit the down button, the hotel manager's eyes not leaving that door. He knew that whatever was about to go on in there would be the turning point in how their relationship was going to run._

_Childress remained quiet as he entered the elevator and pressed for the main floor. After a silent journey where only the whirring of the machinery could be heard in that compartment, the doors finally dinged open, revealing the still lively lobby even in later evening. Childress hurried back into the security room, where his secret camera would be recording Masako's every move with Sheena. He gently lifted his sleeve to check the time as he unlocked the door, and realized that almost five minutes had passed since he left the wine. "Well, it's all in their hands now," he muttered._

_He grabbed the remote from his desk and flipped on the appropriate screen again. But before he could even get comfortable, a shocking scene appeared before him as the confrontation between Masako and Sheena quickly got violent. Childress looked on in surprise as Sheena grabbed the still unopened wine bottle and clocked Masako across the head with it. Masako staggered a few steps before collapsing on the ground, writhing in pain as Sheena bolted from the room, dropping the bottle to the carpeted floor. Childress inched his body forward, wondering how Masako was doing and how his plan had gotten that quickly out of hand, even without the alcohol being involved._

_Childress stayed and watched for another minute, seeing the helpless Masako tried to gather whatever strength or consciousness available to get back on his feet. Part of Childress wanted to leave Masako to make him feel what it was like to lose a friend, but the other part felt extremely guilty about what happened, and wanted to help him the same way he did nearly two weeks ago regarding those wealthy ladies. Finally, his good side took over, as Childress flipped the monitor off and headed out once again._

_But Masako was not appreciative of Childress' appearance in the room. Even as the hotel manager tended to his wounds, Masako sat with his face away from Childress, muttering angrily under his breath and refusing to address him. "See? Your abrasiveness just cost you a friend," Childress chided gently as he dabbed a wet towel on Masako's still bleeding forehead, "There's only one person who will accept you for who you are, and will treat you with the utmost respect, and that's me."_

_Masako winced, partially at the sting from the towel, but also from the words. "Can you just knock it off?" he snapped, throwing Childress' arm aside, "You're so annoying right now. You're almost like the cockroach that wouldn't die."_

_Childress was taken aback, shocked at Masako's language. Reeling like he had been slapped in the face, Childress tried to get Masako's attention again, but to no avail. "If you're not crazy, then what are you?" Masako challenged, "There are so many things you can do, but instead you choose to stalk me? And in case you're wondering, I'm not interested in you, so don't get any ideas! Never come near me again, you hear?"_

_"But, what about all the things I did for you? I pulled you back to your feet when those ladies were harassing you, and I'm here to help you when your old friend deserted you," Childress pleaded, clutching Masako's arm like a life ring, "How could you say that I'm irritating you? Didn't all my actions mean anything to you?"_

_"Have you no shame?" Masako shouted, shoving the hotel manager aside. Childress slammed into the side of the couch, his stomach getting the brunt of the hit while Masako hovered above him. "Let me say this. The only reason I turned to you is because I was lost. Now I found my way, I don't need you anymore. Just get out of my sight, because I want to puke just thinking about you and your sick ways!" he spat._

_Just then, Childress' eyes set onto the wine bottle, still fresh with some blood stains as a result of Sheena's hit on Masako. Suddenly, Childress felt an urge to pick up the bottle, and a sense of empowerment filled him up inside. Overflowing with this new power, he figured that if words wouldn't make Masako listen, then action sure would. _

_A wicked smile curled onto his face as Childress inched forward, making a slow approach to Masako, who was at the desk still shaking the stars out of his head. "Masako Hirano," Childress whispered, calling him like he was talking to a baby, "Masako?"_

_The Lezareno manager whipped his head around, ready to give Childress another tongue lashing. But he barely got a word off before the hotel manager said in a tone that bordered lust-filled and murderous, "Masako, this one's for you!"_

_In one smooth motion, the bottle was whipped around from the side, smashing into the side of Masako's face. The Mizuho native staggered a couple of steps before colliding with the bed, falling face-first onto it and leaving him completely vulnerable. It only spurred Childress more, as he came after Masako even more ferociously. "You're mine, Masako!" he shouted as he jumped onto the bed, clubbing Masako with violent blows. The wrecking ball bottle soon had its way with the building known as Masako's head, as he soon lost consciousness and a pool of red liquid oozed onto the sheets._

* * *

The entire room was silent as all eyes set onto Childress, who sat quivering in anger. His fists were clenched and his jaw was tight as Sheena looked at him in fear. In fact, the only one in the room not showing concern was Gil, who merely towered over the man in a suit and tie with an expressionless face. "That's why you killed him, right?" Gil asked monotonously, "You feel you can destroy what you cannot have?"

"Yes, I killed him," Childress hissed, spitting out the words like poison, "He deserved to die! He deserved it!" he cried, slamming his fists onto the table. The entire surface shook, causing all those seated there, including Sheena, to jolt up.

Gil glared icicles into Childress before nodding to Arnold, who read Childress the charges. "The Altamira police officially charge you with the death of Masako Hirano, and the attempted murder of Sheena Fujibyashi," he announced, reading him his rights.

"But in your crazy act of exerting your authority over Masako and Sheena, you forgot something," Gil told Childress as the officers cuffed the hotel manager, "You thought you could get revenge on Sheena for hurting Masako by repeating the same act and pinning it on Zelos. But Zelos isn't the sex-crazed pervert that most think he is, and when you saw from the camera you moved from Masako to Sheena's room that he won't attack, you were forced to take action, and it ultimately blew your cover," Gil sneered at Childress, "You let your small feat get to your head, and now you're paying the price."

With that, Gil nodded at Arnold, who immediately signed the release of evidence papers to Sheena. The Mizuho native thanked the lieutenant as she joined Gil at the door, ready to head over to the other room to bail Zelos out. Gil waved to his bartender friend, who must stay on to record an official testimony for the moment. As the tan-skinned young man seated himself at the table, Gil closed the door to this room and headed over to the one down the hall, hoping for something less crazy. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Sheena took a deep breath and nodded, a smile of relief creeping across her face. "I'm still shocked that Childress would do something like that. It seems like whatever he did with Masako, he really thought it made him a saviour," she analyzed.

Gil shrugged. "That's why I had to set him up that way, as he's forced to pull the camera back to Masako's room and effectively puts you two out of danger. And when I did that move with the charger, it ultimately proved my point that he was spying on us the entire time." Gil tried not to comment too much, as his focus was on freeing Zelos first. "So we just want a good, thorough description of what you saw last night from you and your friend, and everything should be fine," he told Sheena, "Are you ready?"

Sheena nodded again, this time a more confident expression was on her face. Gil then grabbed the door knob and pushed the door open, ready to step inside. But the two couldn't take more than a step into the room before a heavyset man came straight at them, nearly bowling them over. Had it not been for a smaller, bespectacled man holding his larger counterpart back, there was bound to be another collision. "Look out!" the shorter man yelled, halting the plump, middle-aged man in his tracks.

The heavier man nearly lost his balance trying to brake, causing Gil to grab hold of him in defence. Taking a few seconds to untangle, Gil took a look at the men before him and instantly recognized the slimmer individual. "You're Leonard Yancey, aren't you? Why are you here?" he asked, looking around the larger man's body.

"I'm here to help with the investigation of the Heart of Balacruf, and Dr. Austin is asking me to help him take the necklace off the dead body," Leonard replied, calmly brushing himself off, "I assume that's why you are here as well?"

Gil nodded eagerly. "It's good to see a good citizen like you helping the police out, especially with you being the only person who can unlock it," he complimented Leonard, "I'll just let you and Dr. Austin be on your way, while we meet up with our friend."

The coroner and the jewellery expert headed off as Sheena and Gil entered. At a nearby table, they saw a certain teenage horse rider and immediately approached her. "Since when did Leonard Yancey show up?" Gil asked, leaning on his crutches.

"He was in the interrogation room earlier, so I'm guessing he was leaving a testimony," the girl replied, her eyes downcast in deep thought, "They haven't called me yet, so I don't know what going on. Why do you ask?" she looked back up and saw Gil with a concerned look, the Iselia native biting his lower lip as ideas raged inside his head.

* * *

That's it for now, hope that worked out for everyone. Next chapter you'll see how the other case resolve itself. Later!


	10. An Epic Production

Thanks to **Mandrakefunnyjuice** and **Poet Bucky** for reviewing last chapter. So with one case solved, I'm sure you're all itching to see how Gil deals with the other one. Well don't fret, because here it is, and Bucky is going to have a HUGE role to play in it.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"Sorry we have to make you do this again," Dr. Austin stated apologetically as he led Leonard Yancey into the morgue once more. The first time around, it was to take the Heart of Balacruf off of Leonard's good friend and colleague Candy Shallow. But this time, it was a different victim, and one that Leonard had some not too fond memories of.

Austin glanced at Leonard, who had a stoic expression on his face as he put on his white gloves. Staring grimly at the covered body, Austin gripped the sheets and slowly peeled it off like an orange skin. "Here she is," he announced as the face was revealed.

And just like the previous time, a rare and expensive jewel was wrapped around the collar of a beautiful young woman whose elegance, even in death, seem to resonate through the dark and damp morgue. The combination of the face and the lustrous topaz reflected light from the lamp above in all directions and illuminating into Austin's face. "The floor's yours," he told Leonard, shielding his eyes as he stepped back.

In a calm and cool manner, Leonard approached the body just as Austin backed off. The bespectacled man placed his hands around the necklace, feeling each chain and piece like tapping a Morse code. Austin looked on curiously as Leonard finally reached the back, not even blinking or lifting his head as he worked to loosen the hold.

Austin was amazed and intrigued. "You know, I've never seen someone that comfortable with dead bodies before," he commented, "I recall when I first received my training, it took me months before I got used to cutting up these bodies. But your first time in loosening the necklace, you didn't even flinch, and now you're at it again. Is it because of that curse or whatever that you said last time, that somehow you predicted or know that someone would die after wearing it?" he asked, leaning his head into the light.

The shadow of Austin's round head cast a strange silhouette that cut right down the middle of Leonard's face. But the darkened lighting did not deter Leonard from doing his task as his fingers twisted and turned through the complicated clasp. "It's what happens when a jewel goes through so many events throughout its history," he replied, not even looking at Austin, "Things just start accumulating and they end up being the so-called curse of today. This is the destiny of the Heart of Balacruf: to be mentioned by the public as the most cursed and most valuable jewel of all time."

Just as this was said, the clasp popped loose, freeing the necklace from Fiona's neck. Austin immediately rushed to the side and grabbed the usual storage box that was brought back from her home, letting Leonard place the necklace back into its place. The heavyset coroner closed the box and tucked it under his arm. "I hope you don't mind, but the police might want to keep this for a while for evidence collection purposes again," he informed Leonard, "Can you please stay a while as well, just in case they have any more requests?"

Leonard's expression remained neutral, taking off his gloves nonchalantly and picking up his belongings again, all the while nodding his head, "I'll tell everything, but I don't see what I could have missed from the last testimony," he explained, "Everything I saw from the time I got to Miss Kauffman to when I left was documented already."

Austin nodded as he tucked the case under his arm. The two were silent as they headed back to the interrogation room. Austin pushed the door open and was greeted by a shocking sight. Before them was a quarrelling couple, shouting, pointing fingers, and waving their arms as they exited the area. The man was dressed in a suit and bow tie, while the woman had on a dark blouse. "So is that the big secret you're hiding? You're in bed with another woman?" the lady yelled, jabbing an accusing finger at the man's face.

"I already told you, she's only a friend, and one that I've worked with for years," the man retorted, pushing the finger away, "And don't you dare point that thing at me. I already told police and you the truth, so I have no need to explain more to you!"

"You call her a friend? Then what is your definition of friends, Gordon?" the woman snapped, her hands pressing firmly at her waist, "So you give a friend the Heart of Balacruf, only to have her die wearing it, while I, your own wife, was supposed to receive it at the ball and ended up getting shown up by that whore? Explain that!"

"I don't know! I already said, she snatched it out of my case and put it on herself. I couldn't even get my hands on her!" the casino owner Gordon Perry bellowed, slapping a hand on a nearby table. It jolted the three seated figures; a teenager in horse rider gear, a Mizuho native in a track jacket and pants, and a goateed man on crutches, nearly popping them out of their chairs. "But I swear. The necklace was for you, not her!"

Austin and Leonard merely plugged their ears as surrounding officers swarmed in to calm the feuding couple down. The gaudy casino owner Perry already lost quite a lot of face by having to appear at the police station, but now with his wife on his case, there was nothing more humiliating. A nearby officer escorted Leonard to somewhere quieter while Austin sat at Gil's table. "How long were they at it?" he asked, cupping one ear.

It was the young horse rider who answered. "They were called in just after you showed up and before Sheena came in, and the officer even said I'd be next. The two entered the room and within minutes it's just sheer pandemonium," she described, "It's more like an argument between the two than an interview with police."

But Gil's attention was elsewhere as he stared a hole into the wall. Amidst the noise of the feuding couple, nobody could hear his inaudible mumbling. "He throws a party for their wedding anniversary, promises her the Heart of Balacruf, then she got shown up by that dancer," he murmured, his arms crossed tightly around his chest, "And with so many witnesses around, they can't really be the culprits."

The arguing couple finally made their way out the door, giving the interrogation officers some time to take a breather. Before long, the lead interrogator called in the horse rider, who merely nodded at Sheena before stepping into the room. "Don't worry, I still have all the details fresh in my head," she reassured the Mizuho native, "I think if our stories are combined together, we can free Zelos for sure."

* * *

After two hours of interrogations and evidence analysis, Arnold flopped into his chair in his office and sighed in fatigue. Finalizing the charges on Childress was taxing enough on his energy, but with new interviews from the Perry's, Leonard Yancey, and others involved in the second Heart of Balacruf case only sapped whatever little strength he had left. He struggled to lift his eyelids, which he swore weighed more than a ton right now, and reached for the files on his desk with outstretched arms.

But his concentration was snapped by a familiar voice at the door. "What's the big struggle all about? You cracked a case, so be happy about it!"

Arnold glanced up and saw a man on crutches leaning against the doorframe. He had left the door ajar earlier, but the former mole managed to squeeze his way in. "What can we say from the two cases right now?" Gil asked as he clopped in and taking a seat.

Arnold rubbed his temples, trying to stay focus, with much difficulty. "Childress' case is pretty much all laid out. The forensics unit analyzed all the tape and decided that the ones from Sheena's room and Masako's room, from both the time he stayed in there and the ones with you were all from the same camera. That means your hypothesis on the spy camera thing is entirely correct," he explained, "And with evidence from Masako's shirt, we realized that it was Childress' prints and loose fibres from his suit that got on, and the positions do resemble his description of climbing on him and clubbing him."

Gil nodded, satisfied that everything turned out as expected. He made a mental note to visit his bartender friend later on, as he helped the young man redeem himself by turning in Childress and saved his only source of income for his school year. Turning to the other case, he asked, "What about Zelos Wilder? Is there enough from the testimonies from Sheena and her friend to prove his innocence, or even bring up new leads?"

Arnold shook his head. "We have to cross-reference the two new testimonies with hard evidence from the casino, and the forensics unit haven't gotten a chance to analyze those yet. We are going to do them as soon as possible," he responded, wiping his mouth in stress, "There is something unusual about this situation, because it seems like there is a person who was at the crime scene that didn't quite explain his actions fully."

Gil cocked an eyebrow as Arnold finally flipped open the folder. "On the night of the death, Leonard Yancey was called to the casino by Gordon Perry's assistants to deal with the Heart of Balacruf, which was put on by the deceased. This is consistent with both the assistant's testimony last night, and the one by Perry today. However, after the deceased threw items at him, and the custodian told him to step outside, nobody knew where Leonard was. In fact, the only person who could pinpoint his whereabouts was Leonard himself, who said he went home," Arnold explained, pointing out each detail.

Gil scratched his chin, realizing that there was something unusual about Leonard during the entire time. "I was talking with Dr. Austin earlier, and he had Leonard in the morgue to pull the necklace off the deceased. He said Leonard didn't even flinch, which was surprising considering that it's supposed to be the second dead body he's ever seen."

Arnold exhaled in exasperation. "So we can keep Leonard in as a suspect in the meantime, and it'll only complicate matters," he sighed, stretching his spine by leaning back on his chair and raising his arms high, "I actually have another problem with that, because we still require someone to authenticate the jewel. Now that it's no longer in the possession of the auction, we can no longer have the auction authenticate it. Leonard Yancey is still a suspect, so we require someone else to do the job," he pointed out.

Gil scratched his chin, mulling over all his options. Somehow, this would really put him at a disadvantage, as keeping Leonard at the police station would ultimately pull his eyes off the jewellery expert. With the situation precarious as it was and with Zelos and Leonard in custody, it was becoming increasingly difficult to balance all sides. How I can observe him while let the police do their work is the problem here, Gil thought.

Then it struck him, as there was a perfect person he could use to observe Leonard and validate the jewel as well. "She's the perfect person for the job," Gil told Arnold, "So if you just give me half an hour, I can convince her to tackle it."

With that, Gil whipped out his cell phone and clicked a speed dial button. From the other side of the table, Arnold could only look on in curiosity, one eyebrow cocked up and his fingers tapping the tips rapidly as he wondered what crazy trick the former mole had in mind for solving this maze of a case, especially with the stakes higher than before.

* * *

Raine's silver hair flowed freely in the wind as she strolled into the police station with confidence, knowing that this would be a chance for her to showcase her knowledge and research depth into the Heart of Balacruf. Straightening out her dark blue tank top one last time, she pulled the doors open and marched into the building.

She weaved her way around the unit and officers' cubicles, trying to keep a formal and serious pose as she journeyed towards the lieutenant's office. Gil was in there waiting for her; at least that was what he told her over the phone, requesting her that the Heart of Balacruf was in police custody again after yet another death. Originally, Raine had decided against coming to the station for the authentication, given the bloody history just had another event added to it. But after some persuasion from Gil, she changed her mind. There was something not right about this situation, and it was in her best interests to show up. Moreover, Gil made it clear to Raine that she was currently the only person who he trusted with the jewel, and that made her feel just that much more convinced.

Raine looked up just in time to see Gil wave her in from Arnold's office, and the female half-elf hurried through the unit and quietly slipped into the room. She swiftly took a seat before Arnold as Gil closed the door. "Gil told me what's going on, and after some careful consideration, I've decided to do it," she quickly informed Arnold.

Arnold nodded and handed Raine the file. The half-elf glanced at it like a medical report, panning over it in detail while Gil stepped up to her. "There are other parts of this issue that I want you to deal with," he requested, "It involves Leonard Yancey and certain parts of his testimony that we want you to inadvertently unravel for us."

This caused one of Raine's eyebrows to tick up, as the mention of Leonard being a suspect struck a chord with her. "On what basis do you have for that argument? Was there something really unusual with his testimony?" she quizzed the two police officers, sounding very much like an interrogator herself. Although the necklace's involvement in another death alarmed her, she still trusted Leonard enough to doubt any possible guilt.

It was Arnold who explained the situation. "Leonard Yancey admitted to visiting Perry's casino around the time of death. It's because the deceased, Fiona Kauffman, had put on the Heart of Balacruf but couldn't take it off. But when Leonard got there, he claimed the deceased refused to let him remove the necklace, leading to a confrontation where the deceased pretty much threw Leonard out of her dressing room," he described.

Raine clacked her tongue, shaking her head at yet another superficial beauty that let the necklace get to her head. "She probably thinks that the necklace was so expensive and rare that after a few minutes of staring herself in the mirror, she won't take it off," Raine commented in disgust, "So what else is new? What made him suspicious?"

"In his testimony, he said that after the violent response, the custodian escorted him out. He claimed he waited there for a few more minutes, but when there wouldn't be a change of heart from her, he went home," Arnold continued, double-checking his words with the notes, "But since nobody saw him at that time, it remains suspicious that his story is incomplete. Moreover, despite finding Zelos Wilder on the scene before the already dead body, two witnesses claimed that Zelos is innocent, and we're analyzing the evidence they offered us right now. That's why we want to know more about Leonard."

"Also, it almost seems too coincidental that Leonard could get close to both victims, considering how similar their deaths were," Gil continued, "Now, we can say that Zelos had close calls with both bodies, but has alibis and at least some evidence each time showing he couldn't have done it. But for Leonard, his story seemed incomplete for both cases. That's why we have to hold him as a suspect, and that's also where you come in," he concluded, pointing at Raine.

Raine blinked quickly, almost like someone had tried to jab her eye. "How will my presence here for the authentication of the jewel be useful to your investigation?" she asked, closing the folder and apprehensively handing it back to Arnold.

Arnold looked nervously at Gil, hoping the Iselia native could explain this precarious situation to his friend. But amazingly, the former mole didn't even flinch as he invited Raine outside of the office. "I think it's best that I fill you in on your role," he stated, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Besides, a good walk will do us both good, better than being cooped up in that stuffy office. Shall we?" he opened the door, leading the way out to the room where the Heart of Balacruf was stored at the time.

* * *

After a short talk with Gil, Raine was left mumbling to herself as she made her way down the hallways of the unit. She still had issues with how Gil basically parachuted a bunch of suggestions into her without any discussion with her whatsoever. But knowing that the case had reached a crucial point, she almost felt bad if she refused him. She was left shaking her head after reluctantly agreeing to Gil's offer. "Why does he always make me do the hard stuff? It's just like when he was undercover and he sent Lloyd and me to Noishe," she fumed, her fists nearly clenching and creasing the papers in her hand.

Raine manoeuvred out of the unit and into a side staircase, heading downstairs to the evidence holding area. It felt like Raine was being arrested herself, being taken into the cells like she had committed the crime. The dim lighting at the stairs sent shivers up her spine, the silence intriguing her as she made her way down. Her eyes shifted from one side to the other, wondering what was in store for her as she casually flipped through some of the papers in her hands. She had read through them just a while back when Gil briefed her, but it still didn't make her comfortable knowing that the Heart of Balacruf would be in her hands for authentication. "This is serious stuff," she muttered.

Just as she turned from the break in steps, getting off the first flight on stairs and onto the second one, she didn't pay attention to her footing. Her eyes were glued to the papers that she missed a step, and ended up sliding down the remainder of the stairs. A wannabe gymnast performed the splits in the most unusual settings as Raine's legs parted wider and wider, her right reaching forward and her back was a lame duck being dragged as she tobogganed down this hill. "Aaahh!" she yelled, her arms flailing in the air.

Fortunately, the final steps broke her plummet, her stretch slowing her momentum and screeched her forward progress by bringing her to her knees. The falling plane finally ended its devastating plunge, and the result was a mild sprain to the gear known as her ankle. Added to the few cuts and bruises on her shins and Raine was officially out of it. "Oh boy, just what I need," she winced, rubbing and clutching her lower legs.

Then, out of nowhere, Leonard charged out and approached Raine. "Are you alright?" he asked the half-elf, eyes of concern reflected behind his glasses.

Raine glanced up with a look of surprise, wondering what Leonard was doing here. "I thought the police wanted to investigate you," she pointed out.

"They did, and I was told to wait here while they finished the paperwork," Leonard told Raine, helping her to her feet. He could see her exposed shins dotted with red bits here and there, and an egg-shaped bulge appeared her ankle. "Are you alright? Can you walk properly?" he asked, his eyes peeled for the cuts and bruises.

Raine tried to take a step, but couldn't go more than a metre without collapsing in pain. Leonard's face scrunched up as Raine held onto to him for dear life. "Here, why don't we let you take a seat somewhere, and I'll heal you up," he suggested.

Leonard led Raine into the waiting room he was brought into earlier and gently placed her into a chair while elevating her leg. Raine looked on as the bespectacled man stepped out of the room, turning around the corner before the whirs of an ice dispenser could be heard from the door seconds later. She continued to massage her ankle, trying to halt the swelling when Leonard returned with some ice in hand, trying to cover them with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket. "Just hold still and relax," he assured Raine.

Raine leaned back on her chair and put her arms to the side as Leonard placed the ice bundle onto her ankle. The half-elf hissed as the cold cubes contacted the throbbing area, causing the pain to slowly dissipating away. While balancing the pack on the ankle, Leonard turned and pulled some paper towels from a box on the other side of the room like a prize being drawn. He dabbed it onto the melting block on Raine's ankle to moisten it. Putting on the same gloves her wore for handling jewellery, he slowly wiped away the blood stains on her shins. Raine looked on in amazement as Leonard's gentle touch mesmerized her, making her forget that she was in danger of slipping to her doom earlier. "I'm glad you're so dedicated to healing me and such, but you don't really have to mess up your working gloves," she stated, the concerned look now on her face.

Leonard smiled. "Don't worry," he assured Raine, "The paper towels are thick enough to prevent most blood from reaching me. Besides, I could just give these a wash once I get home. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"

Raine chuckled as the cool sensation of the water evaporating from her shins and ankle relaxed her completely. Upstairs, she was in a foul mood after what Gil told her to do, but everything just seemed so much better with Leonard around her. It was almost like he cleared the dark clouds above her head after he rescued her from the stairs. "You really are an amazing person, Leonard. I just wish all the people I work with are just like you, being cool and collected all the time," Raine commented, "All they do is run around like a headless chicken. How do they possibly succeed in studying anything like that?"

Leonard shook his head as he tossed the paper towels away. Raine's wounds had already stopped bleeding, leaving dark spots here and there. "Here you go with your ruins craziness again," Leonard said, "I don't think I'm that great, not at all."

"What are you talking about? You shouldn't degrade yourself like that!" Raine scolded, gently slapping the jewellery expert's shoulder, "You're eager to learn, you have a calm mind, and you don't hesitate to help those needing it, so what more can I say?"

Leonard's face flinched a bit, almost like he wanted to avoid the issue altogether. Changing the subject, he pointed at the papers Raine had in her hands. "What are those for?" he asked, applying some pressure onto the ice pack on Raine's ankle.

"Oh, this?" she responded, flipping a few pages for Leonard, "The police asked me to authenticate the Heart of Balacruf today. You're still a suspect, meaning you can't really do it. I originally didn't want to do it, with the bloodshed and all. I mean, just earlier you saw me slip down the stairs, and it's all because I had that thing on my mind. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to believe there's something wrong with it," Raine ended with a whisper, rubbing her bare arms as a sudden chill descended onto her.

But Leonard would have none of that. Raine could hear the sounds of ice cubes being crushed as Leonard's hand slowly clenched into a fist. "That's nonsense, there is no curse on that necklace," Leonard stated, spitting out each word like venom, "Too many people used it to gain attention, and that's why it's led to the state it's currently in." He grabbed the pack in his hands, the slush crumbling and sloshing as he whipped around in one smooth motion and tossed it in the trash. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.

With great care, Leonard helped Raine get back to her feet and eased her out the door. They approached the first door down the hall, where an officer sat inside signing some papers. In front of him was a familiar red-haired individual standing casually, tapping his feet and drumming his fingers on the desk. Leonard and Raine craned their necks to see as the officer carved a name into the sheet. "All set," the officer stated.

They could see the figure nod before turning around, and his eyes automatically lit up as he saw Raine. "Well, if it isn't the two history buffs," Zelos chuckled as he saw the two, a flirtatious look in his eye, "What brings you guys down here?"

Raine updated Zelos on the events of the Heart of Balacruf since his arrest, ending with Gil asking her to authenticate the jewel. "What about you? I thought they had you in the holding area. Did they manage to clear your name?" Raine asked.

Zelos winked an eye and snap-pointed at Raine. "Oh yeah, they can never hold the popular Zelos Wilder in here for long, especially with my charm. I bet even without the evidence, they'd let me out," he bragged as he received his release papers from the officer, "What happened to your ankle? It looks swollen," he pointed out.

"I accidently slipped on the stairs earlier, and just rolled my ankle, along with scrapping and cutting my shins," she answered, lifting one leg to show Zelos. Beside her, Leonard grew increasingly disgusted with the enticing way Zelos looked at Raine, with his eyebrows wiggling and that smirk pasted across his face way too well. "Thankfully, Leonard was kind enough to help me with my injuries, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"Well, in that case, I think we owe Mr. Auction Man here our thanks," Zelos told Leonard, nudging his elbow into him almost sarcastically, "I guarantee, Raine will be in good hands. When I was told I was cleared, the first person I called was Gil and he told me you'd be down here, so I don't mind looking out for you. In fact, if you can't make it up the stairs, I'll carry you up," he offered, lifting one sleeve and flexing his arm like a bodybuilder, "So which do you prefer, wife-carrying method, or fireman's carry?"

As Raine and Zelos guffawed along, Leonard felt like he outstayed his welcome. Being the only one standing near the door, he watched the cheerful couple approach the seated officer for more information. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the doorknob and wristed it around, marching outside and hoping to block out any sound from their voices.

* * *

Leonard was the only one left in his floor, clicking away on his computer as most of the other auction staff had left already. The police didn't let him out until lunch time, which made him lose a huge chunk of the day for his work. Already somewhat behind in his schedule, he had to stay late just to get things done. Rubbing his temples, he pondered on the events earlier at the police station, the scene of Zelos flirting with Raine and Raine accepting his advancement showing in his mind like a sports highlight replay. What was Raine thinking at that time? It's so unlike her to be like that, he thought.

He turned his eyes back to his computer screen, looking over his archived photos from shoots past. Candy was, of course, the centre of attention here, but there was an odd feeling churning inside Leonard, his stomach twisting and turning like it had just been thrown into a blender. Every time he saw Candy's beautiful face stare at him, he would imagine the look she might have had when she fell to her doom. And each time he saw the body roll helplessly down the stairs like a barrel, it always ended with Raine's body lying lifelessly below instead of Candy. Was this a premonition of some sort?

The shrill ring of his office phone jolted the jewellery expert out of his daze. Glaring at the offending object, he snatched the phone from its stand, wondering who would call him this late. "Hello?" he barked into the speaker.

"Leonard? It's me, Raine," the other side called in a frantic tone, "I didn't mean to do it, but I'm in a lot of trouble now, and you've got to help me!"

"Raine?" Leonard said, concern replacing irritation in his tone, "What happened?" his mind raced madly, wondering what mess Raine got herself into.

"I didn't mean to do it, but when I was at the police station authenticating the Heart of Balacruf, the officer told me to take it to the vault to be locked up as evidence. I just couldn't part with the necklace, since it looks so beautiful and rare. I went to the bathroom and put it on, just to see what it looked like on me, but now I can't take it off!" she sobbed, "I can't let anyone else know about it, or my reputation will be done, plus the police will arrest me for stealing evidence. You're the only one who can help me now!"

"Alright, calm down. I can help you, but you must tell me where you are now," Leonard instructed the half-elf, "Tell me where you are and I'll be right there."

"I'm at my hotel right now," Raine informed him, "I'll come down to the lobby in a few minutes, and I'll wrap my neck so that nobody can see it. But please hurry, I don't know how much time we have before I get spotted!" she cried.

Immediately, Leonard turned off his computer and grabbed his case of tools. He snatched his coat from the rack and rushed to the parking lot, sliding into his Honda Civic and flooring the gas pedal. During the hurried drive through the Altamira night, Leonard mumbled nonstop, trying to reassure himself that Raine was alright. Images of Raine in distress blazed through his head as Leonard was so caught up in her well-being that he nearly missed the entrance to the hotel parking lot. Turning violently, he screeched the car into the tunnel and swerved into the closest possible spot to the entrance.

The car bucked to a halt as Leonard turned off the ignition. He pulled his case from the back and stepped out in one smooth motion, swinging the door shut behind him and trotted towards the door leading to the lobby. He pushed the doors open and glanced around, seeing if he could spot the familiar silver hair anywhere. There weren't too many people in the lobby, so Leonard figured finding Raine shouldn't be too difficult.

But the task soon became impossible, as Raine was nowhere to be found. Leonard climbed through sofas and stepped around each waiting tourist, but none of the people were Raine. Biting his lower lip, he immediately went to the front desk to ask if she had been down here. "She has silver hair, stands about five-foot-six or seven, and is usually seen in a dark blue tank top with a matching skirt and dark sandals. Have you seen her?"

"I actually did see someone like that," a female clerk responded, "She came down here ten minutes ago, but when a few young men strolled through, they commented on her clothes or jewellery or something. They went inside the bar," she pointed out.

Leonard's heart sank, as Raine probably didn't do a good enough job of hiding the necklace, and was spotted by guys wanting a drink. Hoping to diffuse the situation before it got worse, Leonard thanked the reception staff and headed into the dining hall, where the bar was an atmosphere that he hoped wouldn't turn Raine out of control. He sidestepped staggering people and dodged couples trying to kiss, all the while the scent of alcohol plugging up his nose. He was about to ask the head bartender, who was serving up drinks when he heard a familiar voice. "What's prettier, me or the necklace?"

Several young men roared in approval in chorus, causing Leonard to stare in their direction. And to his horror, there was his target yakking it up with the crazy guys while downing a beer. It only added to the men's delights as they took turns complementing her, hoping that she would choose one of them as the one to spend the night with. "If you give me the best compliment, then my penthouse is all yours!" she exclaimed, bursting out in hysterical laughter even as her soberness slipped lower than her tank top straps.

Seeing how the men basically flung themselves at her, Leonard decided to end the act once and for all. "Raine," he called out, reaching into the gray and grabbing her hand, "Raine, come with me. Tt's not safe here, not with you wearing that in public."

Raine gasped and hiccupped, but didn't have enough energy to fight back as the bespectacled man hauled her out. He led her away from the bar and back into the centre, just between the alcoholics' hangout spot and the dining hall. "Why'd you drag me out here, Leonard?" Raine protested, flinging his arm away. She wobbled a couple of steps to regain her balance, all the while staring at Leonard with annoyed but dazed eyes, "I had so much fun back there, it's like I was the centre of attention."

Leonard winced upon hearing that line, knowing full well what happened the last time a woman uttered it before him. "Raine, look," he said diplomatically, "I know you had a blast, and I personally do think you look beautiful, but we have to take that off."

"What? What do you mean, take it off?" Raine asked, appalled at the suggestion, "Don't you see what this is doing to me? It's making me the VIP tonight! You said this was worn by those princesses, or queens, or aristocrats, right? Well, that's how I feel like right now! For once in my life, I can be appreciated!" she exclaimed, spinning around slowly like basking in an awards ceremony where she was the winner.

Leonard looked on in disbelief, wondering how the normally modestly dressed and professionally behaved Raine had degraded this quickly. Waving his hand before his nose, he figured she must have had quite a few drinks, and that was doing a number on her mind. "Come on, let's take you to your room," he offered, "You're drunk already."

"No. In fact, I haven't been this awake, and free, since forever!" Raine declared, spinning away from Leonard's grasp, "And it's all because of this nine million-dollar necklace, as it allowed me to be the centre of attention tonight. I'm doing all sorts of things that I wouldn't even think of doing in my regular days."

Raine's voice suddenly became lower in tone, sounding more subdued as she leaned against the wall, her eyes turning away from Leonard. The jewellery expert tried to gauge Raine's current emotions, sneaking in closer and tilting his head to see. "Don't you know how hard life is in Iselia?" she said, some sniffles following her voice, "All I get each and every day is the same routine: assist Frank's research, be the teaching aide in his classes, attend the same boring conferences. Nobody saw me as a person, they only know how to use me!" she yelled, nearly bursting into tears. She turned to face Leonard, who didn't know how to react to her expression, which was a mix between sadness and release of her pent-up frustration, "Only you understand what truly represents me."

As those words were uttered, a flashback sequence blasted through Leonard's brain. When he was with Candy during her Heart of Balacruf project, she said something nearly identical to that. Now, with Raine completely drunk and slurred, Leonard couldn't help but get a sense of déjà vu. And just like with Candy, Raine was only getting into more danger the longer she kept the necklace on. Shaking his head clear, Leonard pulled Raine over to face him. "Let me take it off, right now," he ordered, placing his hands around her neck, "It's no longer safe here, so listen to me, alright?"

"No, leave me alone. I don't want to take it off!" Raine shouted, twisting her head back and forth and shaking Leonard loose. This battle almost resembled the one he had with Fiona Kauffman at the casino, where she unexpectedly lost her mind and refused to let him remove the necklace, even though minutes before she was complaining about it. "I want to be special, and it's only with the necklace that I get to be special!"

But it was Leonard who was getting more and more frustrated, as Raine had, at least in his mind, sunk down to the same level as the superficial ladies he met and worked with almost throughout his adult life. Determined not to let another person, let alone one of the most intellectual and educated people he ever met, fall down the same trap, he came at Raine again. "The necklace, give it back to me!" he shouted.

"Let me go!" Raine screamed. With that, she swung around and landed a vicious left hook on Leonard. Luckily for the jewellery expert, Raine's aim was a bit off thanks to the alcohol, as her fist only slammed into his forearm and not his face. But the punch still struck hard enough for Leonard to release his hold. The bespectacled man screamed as the pain throbbed up his arm like wildfire. As he leaned against the wall, trying to regain sensation in the region, he could see Raine stumble out of the bar, making quick work into the lobby even in her half-drunk state. Staring at the lobby with ice-cold eyes, Leonard gripped his tool case with his unharmed hand and bolted out in pursuit.

Despite the relative distance they were from the dining hall section, the strange altercation and chase did not go unnoticed by two female guests seated at a table near the doorway. A certain Mizuho native had her eyes on Leonard the entire time, making sure he had left the area before calmly reaching into her pocket. Pulling out a cell phone, she dialled a familiar number, all the while waving a waiter over for the bill. "If my guess is right, they should be getting closer to the beach now," she informed her friend.

The teenager across from her nodded, watching the arriving waiter just as Sheena's call connected. "Hey Gil, this is Sheena. I just saw Raine and Leonard tussle around the bar earlier, and Raine just took off with Leonard in hot pursuit," Sheena explained, "They should be in your position in a few minutes. What's your call?"

* * *

The streets were oddly quiet for an Altamira summer night, as relatively few tourists were out and about. The beach was also sparse, with only a few people scattered here and there. The only sound that could be heard was from the waves, with the water crashing against the sand rhythmically. Add the ever present sea breezes, with the winds exhaling onto the shores by the night sky, and the night was complete.

However, this would be anything but an ordinary situation, as from the hotel front doors barged out a silver-haired, female half-elf. She hustled through the street, not even bothering to look for traffic as she ploughed across the intersection. The fresh air seemed to rejuvenate her instincts, as she was no longer staggering around aimlessly. Rather, she marched along quite efficiently, taking long stride across the road and onto the other side, where the beach was located. The little altercation inside the bar didn't make her feel any better, and she hoped a walk on the beach could shake loose her pursuer.

But this chase was only getting worse, as a familiar bespectacled man stumbled out of the hotel. He looked around desperately, his head tilting from side to side like a metronome, before finally spotting Raine across the street. Tucking in his tool case, he charged across like a running back splitting the defence and confronted her again. "Look, this isn't right!" Leonard shouted, "Raine, give me back the necklace! Raine!"

Instead of halting, Raine continued her torrid pace down the sidewalk. "Why are you after me?" she shouted back even as her pace quickened, her sandaled feet slapping the concrete like a thoroughbred, "This necklace isn't yours anyway, and even if it is, you only watch over it because you know how to take it off. You're nothing but the dog that guards the front door, nothing more! Just leave me alone and let me run free!"

That only enraged Leonard, who picked up his pace as well. Even when wearing a dress suit and carrying a heavy case, there was still enough in his tank to catch Raine, as pure anger and contempt drove him to chasing the half-elf down. She was already near the stairs leading down to the beach, all the while yelling at him from the front. "Are you after me because you want the necklace, or are you after me because you want to take advantage of me?" she called, half taunting and half scolding Leonard, "If you have the guts, then come get me for yourself! Otherwise, go home!"

Just as this was said, Raine leaned against the railing to the stairs, posing tantalizingly and glaring at Leonard. From her angle, a streetlamp cast a strange spotlight onto the jewellery expert, illuminating his pose. His shoulders slowly shuddered while his hand clenched his briefcase just that much tighter. The light also showed Leonard's face, as a mean grimace etched on tightly, with bullets being stared back into Raine. A flurry of thoughts blasted through Leonard's head right now, repeating each nasty word Raine had sprayed into his face like cobra spitting venom. Somehow, it all reminded Leonard of those other uncooperative ladies he met in the not-too-distant past. Combine it with how the respect Leonard had for Raine dissipated thanks to her current state, the bespectacled man was a ticking time bomb. His eyes continued to shoot lasers into Raine, his body itching to pounce as his prey teetered that much closer towards her doom.

But all that was fodder for Raine, who continued her crazy rant. "You're just as bad as Frank, the other graduates, the students I teach, and the haughty people whom I attend conferences with. All of you want to put me down, but the second I do something right you all want a piece of me!" she cried, waving her arm and pointing at Leonard, "I thought you were a gentlemen, different than the rest of them, but you're just a wolf in sheep's clothing, or should I say a 'pervert in a fancy suit.' I show you my best and you ignore it, opting for the necklace? What kind of a man are you? I know, a useless one!"

That seemed to back the last straw, as something inside Leonard's head snapped. Like a demon had taken him over, Leonard could feel his limbs move by themselves, propelling him faster and faster towards his target. The half-elf's continued barrage of acid words only threw more fuel to the fire. "Get out of my sight! All you men are like this! I never want to see you again! Leave!" Raine yelled, turning for the stairs.

And that was the perfect position for Leonard to strike, as the jewellery expert had Raine in the most vulnerable pose. "You whore!" he roared, diving head first at her. His hands pushed out, lunging for Raine and eager to push her off the stairs. To him, it would rid the world of one more self-gratifying woman, and satisfy his insatiable anger. "This ends now, Raine," he growled, his palms centimetres from contacting Raine's back.

But the contact was never made, as a sharp call from below interrupted his act. "Wind Blade!" a young voice yelled, and immediately the sea breeze combined in a ball of air, surrounding Leonard and sliced at him from all directions. The man could only cover his face, frozen in position as small slits were incised into his suit, making Leonard feel like he had intruded into a wasp's nest, causing the insects to attack simultaneously.

By the time Leonard recovered from the ordeal, Raine was already whisked away, covered tightly in a red towel by a grey-haired woman. Grunting in frustration, he hoped to make a quick dash away before he was spotted, only to be stopped by rocks blasting up from the concrete, throwing him off his feet. "Have a Stone Blast," the same voice from the beach yelled amidst footsteps from the stairs, "No one hurts my sister and gets away!"

Leonard looked up, pain ripping through his body as a young boy wearing only a pair of two-toned swim trunks, a beach hat, and sandals trotted up at him. Still intent to break, Leonard lifted a leg and kicked the gravel and sand at the boy, some hitting him in the chest and stomach while he was still at the stairs. With the boy distracted, Leonard tried to push off like a sprinter, only to have two strong bodies on him. "Hey, what are you doing? Let me go at once!" he demanded, twisting and turning to free himself.

But it was no use, as a teen with brown spiky hair and a red-haired young man clamped down on him. To add insult to injury, a blond girl moved up to him with a video camera, taping the entire sequence. "We saw everything you did and have it on tape," she stated, "The police will make good use of this evidence, right, Mr. Irving?"

Colette moved aside, revealing a familiar man leaning on crutches staring at Leonard with unimpressed eyes. To his either side were his friend from Mizuho and a certain horseback rider. "You're pretty aggressive, aren't you?" Gil asked in a taunting tone, "So if Raine falls off, what do you think Lynn will do to me?"

* * *

Leonard sat stoically in the interrogation office, eyes scanning expressionlessly around him as all of Gil's friends and several police officers sat around the main table. Arnold chose to take the testimony in the main office rather than the smaller rooms to fit everyone, but it didn't mean a more open and friendly atmosphere. Pacing back and forth before Leonard, Arnold flipped open his folder and placed it on the desk, sliding it at Leonard. "Meet the first victim of this serial killing case, one you happen to know well."

Leonard took a glance at the picture, and saw the familiar face of Candy Shallow, her shoulder length brown hair, crystal blue eyes and charismatic smile captivating his eyes. Leonard's face flickered, showing a crack in the armour as Arnold continued to pound away. "Those who love her stop all their activities just to look her way, those who don't like her still have her haunt their minds," he listed, nodding at Zelos, "And those who worship her will do anything to be with her, including sacrificing their own safety."

That was Gil's cue to step forward, as the Iselia native balanced delicately on his crutches and turned his ice cold stare at Leonard. "But for Candy, the more attention she got, the crazier she became, and when the Heart of Balacruf became hers to model, it was too much," Gil described, taking the group back to the day of the first auction, "But she never had a chance to showcase it, as she was found dead in the back staircase of the hotel, minutes before heading out. And present in the crime scene were two suspects."

Gil's eyes tilted to the far side of the room, where his fellow former mole sat confidently with his arms crossed, his right hand gently massaging the cast on his left. "Zelos Wilder wanted nothing to do with Candy again, and Andrew Crocker loved Candy so much that he wouldn't dare to hurt her. Moreover, there was an eye witness that could point to them both being away from the crime scene, and that's our horse rider friend." He gestured to a teenager in the centre, who merely nodded in agreement. "All the evidence plus eye witness accounts show logical inconsistencies in framing them as the suspects, so the first case was ruled a tragic accident, and not pursued any further."

"But it didn't stop a second death," Arnold added, placing another folder adjacent to the first, "Fiona Kauffman, lead dancer at the local casino and secret lover of casino owner Gordon Perry. Logically speaking, the most likely culprits are the Perry couple, since he wants the necklace back, and she wants the secret admirer gone. But they were attending their wedding anniversary ball during time of death, thus eliminating them as suspects."

"Yet in both cases, there was one common theme," Gil chimed in, clopping back into the view. The light fixated itself on the table, illuminating the two police officers towering over the seated jewellery expert. "The Heart of Balacruf was present in both deaths, and was irremovable from the bodies. In fact, Dr. Austin asked for your help both times, and he reported seeing you not even flinching as you acted. Add to the fact that you approached the two so close to their times of death, that made you the key suspect."

Gil smirked as he glanced around the room, his friends looking at him like an award-winning actor. "All I had to do was to set up an experiment to test my theory. My ingredients were a cursed necklace, an attention craving woman, and a shameless flirt willing to pay attention to said woman," he reminisced, his lips curling up into a smile. Then, in the voice of an announcer, he bellowed, "Starring in the epic 'The Staircase Murders,' The Heart of Balacruf as the necklace, Raine Sage as the attention craver, and Zelos Wilder as the shameless flirt!" he ended with fake applause, cupping his hand over his mouth and breathing loudly, much to everyone's delight.

Just then, Leonard's cuffed hands slammed into the table, causing Gil to snap his eyes back at him. "So that finally got your attention, yes?" he asked, a condescending look piercing right through Leonard's soul, "Then I say the floor's yours."

* * *

All that remains is to see how they arrive at the conclusion of how those deaths occured, and that's the end of this story. One more chapter for me to wrap up loose ends and for Bucky's horse to give everyone a big surprise. Until then!


	11. The Best Performance Goes to

So, just like "The World's Greatest Uncle 2" I've decided to split the ending of the story into a final chapter and an Epilogue. I want to thank **Poet Bucky** and **Mandrakefunnyjuice** for reviewing the last chapter, and I hope my first official mystery story kept you guys on edge enough. Now, on the Gil's explanation on how he set up the last case.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"Yes, I killed Candy." These very simple words made up the most important revelation for Gil, his friends, and the police. The entire group stared at him, eyes ranging from curious to disgust, as he told his story. "Ever since I was hired into the recruiting department of the Anderson Auction House, I've worked with so many models and so many different items. Jewels, clothing, you name it, and I've mixed and matched in so many ways that only the best of each item is brought out by the model. But Candy, there just isn't another person like her," he described, closing his eyes and smiling as his mind brought him back to that day three years ago, when Candy first stepped into his office.

"All the valuable jewellery, and dresses, and what have you, all of them ended up being sold to those who don't know how to appreciate them. And that trapped me in this world of hurt forever, but Candy totally changed everything," he continued, the beautiful face and charismatic smile of the model front and centre in Leonard's mind. The officer taking notes could only look on in silence as Leonard drifted into bliss, "When I relocated to Altamira, where some of the wealthiest buyers of these rare jewels lived, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to bring Candy. And when our latest project involved one as rare as the Heart of Balacruf, of course I had to recommend her to wear it."

"But it's because of her beauty that ultimately blew your cover," Gil chimed in. He pulled out his laptop and, typing a few keys, he located some files and enlarged them to full screen size. He flipped the screen around and showed the crowd, who craned their necks to see the photos. "After Candy's death, Raine was really angry that the auction chose to sell the necklace again. She went to the office to confront you, and that's when she saw your screensaver. They were all pictures of Candy in past shoots, so today, when she came back from the police, Raine and I scoured the internet for these photos. Indeed, we found what we were looking for," he announced, brimming with pride.

A faint murmur could be heard swirling around the room, which only agitated Leonard even more as picture after picture of Candy's face were shown to him. "She had such a great future, but had to throw it all away because of the attention she received," he spat, whipping his head away from the laptop, "Within a year, she was a heavy drinker and smoker. When she moved to Altamira, she became infatuated with late night parties in bars and joints, sometimes inhaling all sorts of hard drugs like cocaine. It's a disaster."

Gil smirked as he pulled his laptop closer to his body. "So you're just like Zelos and Andrew Crocker, or at least like a mix of the two. You're a huge fan of Candy, but you also want to have nothing to do with parts of her life," he observed, stating his analysis like the conclusion to a science report, "But you got the worse parts of the deal, because you have no outlet. Whereas Andrew can release his desire by wearing his love proudly in the open, and Zelos can remedy his issues by refusing to see or speak to her, you have to face Candy every single day, and that's breaking your spirits and your heart."

Leonard frowned, his hands clenching into fists again as Gil and company looked on. "The incident that truly brought about the big change was the first auction for the Heart of Balacruf, just before she was to go on stage…" Leonard stated.

_"Why did you stop me? Don't you know how much pain I'm in right now?" Candy demanded as Leonard swept a bundle of powder off her change room desk. Just after Leonard had received news about Andrew Crocker being present, he decided to go back inside and warn Candy about the security measures. That was when, to his horror, Candy rolled up a Post-It note and snorted the sugar-like material up her nostril._

_"Candy, stop," Leonard shouted, clamping a vice grip onto her shoulders, "You cannot keep destroying yourself like this. The show is about to go on!"_

_"Is that all you care about?" Candy yelled back, fighting tears as she nearly collapsed against the wall. She refused to face Leonard while murmuring, "Why do those who I don't like keep buzzing around me and taking advantage of me? Why do those who I like never pay attention to me? And why is it that I, a top model, lost everything I once had, all my friends and true supporters? Why won't they pay attention to me?"_

_Leonard felt helpless, standing alone in the centre of the room like he was the lone cactus in the Triet desert. Part of him wanted to comfort Candy as both a co-worker and a friend, but the other side wanted her cleaned up as soon as possible to do the show. Taking a deep breath, he bravely inched forward and gently placed a hand on her. The two stayed in this position for a few seconds, with neither one making a sound._

_Then as suddenly as the desert winds changed direction, Candy whipped around and pulled Leonard into an embrace. "Let's just leave this place, just you and me," she suggested, a couple of sobs echoing through her words, "I don't like any of these men, and you're the only one who truly appreciates me. If we two and the Heart of Balacruf just go now, then I'll be yours forever. I'm sure this is something you've long wanted."_

_The last line hit Leonard in like a bus. For some strange reason, this was the only thing echoing through like footsteps in a cave. The room was a blur, the sounds of the ventilation fan and the security guards prepping outside blocked off as he felt Candy's arms wrapped tightly around his body. After three years of watching Candy in this agonizing business, Leonard truly wanted her to be happy, to release the pain inside her, and to be by her side when she recovered. Was it really a bad option to leave right now? _

_But the topaz pressed onto him like an ice cube, snapping him back to reality. Even if they were to leave, they could never carry this baggage with them. "Candy, I'll do anything you want, but just let me take off the necklace," Leonard replied, wrapping his fingers around her neck and reaching for the clasp, "It doesn't belong to us, and we must give it back. We'll just let you forfeit the show, and let another model take over…"_

_Instead of obeying and taking Leonard's offer to free her, Candy fought back at him viciously. "No, why do I have to take it off? The necklace is mine, and I'm never parting with it!" she roared, throwing Leonard off her with a two-handed push._

_Leonard staggered off Candy, surprised at the sudden attack. He tried to give chase, pulling on the long night dress. It was to no avail, as the model turned around just in time and pushed a folding chair his way, effectively blocking his path. "Candy, wait!" Leonard yelled, trying to disentangle from the chair as the young lady ran out the door._

* * *

"That was when things got really out of hand, didn't it?" Arnold asked, edging forward and pointing at the photographs of the staircase, "She wanted to get out of there in a hurry, and the first place she aimed for was the back stairs. And that was when that very unfortunate and tragic event happened, where she fell to her doom courtesy of you?"

Leonard shook his head, his lips pursed as the sets of eyes in the room zeroed in on him. Add the sole light in the room positioned directly above him and it was becoming evident that he was cornered. Nevertheless, he remained defiant, and continued his story. "All she had to do was give me back the necklace, and she still refuses to do it," he fumed, "She's so selfish, thinking all she can do is run from her problems. It's like she's in her own little world, where everyone around her must do as she says."

"You can't help it, since she's been placed onto a pedestal right when her fame shot through the roof," Gil commented, his eyes alternating between Leonard and Zelos like a metronome, "That's why she lost her good friends Zelos and Seles, and she quickly lost another friend in you. But still, why did you push her off the stairs?"

That prodding drove Leonard's anger through the roof. He slammed his hands on the table again, causing Arnold's folders to bounce with the tremor. "That whore, she thinks she can turn on the one who helped and protected her throughout this time," the bespectacled man hissed the words through his teeth, "She's gone too far…"

_"Candy, stop right there," Leonard called as the model in the black nightgown burst through the doors into the back stairs. Below them was the parking lot, and once she got out, there was no way of catching her again. "Candy, give me the necklace back. It's my responsibility as its guardian to make sure it gets brought back to the rightful owners! I'll let you go once you take it off!" Leonard exclaimed just as he caught up to her._

_"What do you want? It's not your necklace, so why are you after me?" Candy retorted, making her way down the first flight of stairs. Leonard was within grabbing distance, and her unwieldy dress made quick movements that much more difficult. "Why don't you just pretend you never saw it and let me be free?" she demanded._

_"No, I can't do that!" Leonard responded, grabbing her just as they reached the break in the stairs, "The necklace belongs to the auction, so you must return it!"_

_Candy whipped around, her gown flowing freely in the air as if it were in slow motion. She stared her normally crystal clear eyes into Leonard, except this time the eyes were filled with hatred. "What kind of a man are you?" she shouted, "All you care about is the necklace, have you ever considered my feelings? I'm in so much pain, and you're the only one I trust. Why can't you accept me even as I offer myself to you?"_

_Leonard completely froze, the words blasting into his face like a blizzard from Flanoir. Never had the usually cooperative Candy been that aggressive towards him. Even during the times when she had arguments with her many suitors over her cell phone while preparing for shoots in the dressing room, she still maintained a relatively friendly atmosphere with Leonard. So to hear such a barrage of insults hurled his way Leonard was truly caught off-guard. "Candy, why are you saying this?" he asked, taken aback._

_"Because you really are useless," she snapped, continuing the air raid of personal attacks, "All you care about are the jewels, how they're expensive and how you can help your auction out. Have you ever pulled your head out from your jewellery box? I know you like me, Leonard, and I know you've been taking sneak peeks at me during the times you helped me with my modelling projects. But now I offer myself to you and what do you do? You say you want the necklace back. How pathetic is that?"_

_For Leonard, shock turned to anger as each razor line slashed at the grassy protection inside his head. True, he had his eyes on Candy for a while. Even as he never revealed his feelings to her, he always expected her to treat him in the same respectful way. But hearing her let loose like this was not only uncharacteristic, but insulting. His eyes were larger than plates, and his chest heaved up and down as he could feel his blood pressure and breathing rate shoot up, the veins throbbing so hard that they could burst. If there was anything Leonard could do to teach her a lesson, now was the best time._

_But Candy didn't let up, and Leonard's reaction only egged her on. Even when she stood lower on the staircase, it was almost like the usually inferior and more timid one was fighting back against her protector and provider. "You think I really feel the same way about you? If it weren't for me being in so much pain, I wouldn't even look your way. I only used you to get higher in the modelling hierarchy, so that I can monopolize everyone's attention!" Candy declared cheekily, pointing haughtily at the bespectacled man, "But the sad part is, you still don't see it as anything!"_

_Leonard was truly losing his cool now. His breathing became heavier and harder, the inhaling and exhaling of air resembling a series of strong waves battering the coast. The current situation was a good parallel to an incoming storm as well, with Candy's acid tongue continually testing the winds before being destroyed. "And you say I'm like some goddess, and that the necklace should only be worn by true beauties like princesses and queens, so what type of worshipper are you if you don't even notice me?" Candy taunted, "You really are a coward, aren't you? Never let me see you again!"_

_With that, Candy whipped around, ready to head down the final flight of stairs to freedom. But as she did that, little did she know what effect her last rant had on Leonard. The jewellery expert, with that line still freshly branded into his mind, finally lost control. His brain truly snapped as his body felt like it had been taken over, his arms and legs moving involuntarily as he charged forward, reaching Candy just as she prepared to take the first step on the stairs. "You whore!" he roared, and shoved out his hands._

_The palms struck its target head on, as two shots slammed into Candy's spine. The model screamed as the extra momentum caused her to lose balance, her high heels getting tangled up in her night gown, making her top heavy. In Candy's eyes, the hard concrete got closer and closer to her face until her forehead smashed into the steps, her body rolling down the rest of the way like a log. In this wild ride, Candy was a rag doll, being thrown about mercilessly as her body continued its plunge down the stairs. _

_The concrete slashed and sliced at her face and gown, gouging the skin and fabric as once beautiful items were desecrated in the freefall. By the time she had reached the bottom of the stairs, Candy had just about lost consciousness, the blood loss and trauma to the head too much for her to bear. The wild ride finally ended with her body landing at the same floor she wanted to make her escape at, lifeless eyes staring at the ground and the once perfect figure dismembered. From above, Leonard could only look on, the look on his face bordering on vengeance and guilt, his eyes bulging as he stared at the dead body of his colleague and friend. Taking a glance at his hands, his murderous hands that sent Candy to her doom, he quickly left the scene and returned to the auction._

* * *

"And the rest is history," Arnold added, closing the first folder, "Andrew Crocker ran from security at the second floor, and returned to the first floor via the parking lot. He tripped over Candy, received a scare with his idol's death, and bolted from the scene. Minutes later, Zelos showed up and found the body, and called the police."

"But that's not where it ended though, is it?" Gil continued, his ice cold stare returning as he keyed in on Leonard, "Because after the first death, you were still angry and confused about your own actions. And when the auction decided to sell the Heart of Balacruf again, your anger peaked once more, because it reminded you of Candy."

Again, Leonard's lips sealed into a thin line, his brow furrowing harder by the second with Gil's announcement, which only made the Iselia native even more eager to divulge on the details. "I suspect that your aggravation was still present, either because you were still angry at Candy, or you felt the bidder was, like Candy, a high-class individual behaving in a low-class manner. Am I right?" he asked tauntingly.

"I never expected the event to repeat itself," Leonard explained, his tone low and quiet, "When Candy died, I thought it was the end of this issue. But when the auction went for a second sale, I was truly shocked. Why will they take this cursed jewel, with all the bloody history, and sell it at such a price? And yet, all the wealthy individuals from the nearby regions were there, jockeying for it like some priceless treasure…"

"_Three times, and sold!" the auctioneer declared, slamming the gavel onto the block, "Congratulations, Mr. Gordon Perry!" Those attending the auction stood up and erupted into applause, shaking hands with the man in a tuxedo who now became the new owner of the Heart of Balacruf. From the stage, Leonard slapped his laptop shut in frustration, glaring at the casino owner as he paraded up the steps to fetch his jewel._

_Cameras flashed and snapped as the fat cat received the necklace, tucking the glass case under his arm as the head of the Anderson Auction House, William Hunter, made another announcement. "We will be hosting Mr. Perry's press conference on his successful bid for the necklace upstairs," he informed the press members, "I must say this is a very successful auction, as this sale topped the highest amount we've earned…"_

_The words trailed off for Leonard, who merely stared blankly at the scene before him. There were already people filing out, and the bespectacled man figured he might as well make a quick escape before things got out of hand. Tucking the laptop, he tipped his head down, avoiding eye contact with the reporters, who swarmed the stage and jabbed microphones into Perry like a jousting match. Leonard bobbed and weaved around the wall of people, ducking and dodging press members as he made a beeline for the door._

_For the rest of the night, Leonard was at the bar, downing beer after beer in an attempt to free his mind from the auction. To him, there was nothing worse than the fast and disrespectful way his superiors handled the situation. Not only was there not enough time for the staff to deal with Candy's death, but the way they advertized the event made it sound like it was about the jewel, not the people and effort behind the project that made it a success. "Stupid people, what do they know about appreciating a precious piece of history like that?" he murmured, chugging down another beer. He swiped his arm across his lips like a credit card, and banged his fist on the table again._

_But he couldn't get off another drink, as the shrill call of his cell phone snapped him out of the alcohol bath. Snorting in irritation, he pulled out the offending object from his pants pocket and lifted it to his face. "Hello?" he greeted, his voice slightly slurring._

"_You're Leonard Yancey, yes?" the other side greeted in a blunt and business-like tone, "Mr. Perry wants help with the Heart of Balacruf. According to auction documents, you're the one who handles the jewel the most, so we figured you're the one to call. He specifically told me not to reveal any more details until you get here. Please come down to Mr. Perry's casino as soon as possible, and enter from the side door," the man instructed._

_Leonard grunted, slowly sliding out of his stool. Surprisingly, he still had some balance, making it easier for him to reach for his wallet and dump some money for the bartender. Staggering out of the hotel, he chose not to drive his car, opting for a taxi as the fresh breeze blew at his face, renewing his senses as he prepared for the worst._

_But even with the correct mindset, there was no way Leonard could have foreseen the following events. Not only did Fiona Kauffman have a change of heart and refused to remove the necklace, she then proceeded to launch various items and objects in her room at Leonard, beating back the jewellery expert and forcing the custodian to escort him out to safety. "I don't think now is the best time to do it," she suggested to Leonard as they returned to the hallway. She gently closed the door behind Leonard, who glanced at the wood piece like it just kicked him. Somehow, he had to get to the bottom of this._

_Instead of leaving after the custodian told him Fiona wouldn't budge, Leonard loitered around the back hallways, crouching in the back stairs and waiting for a chance to pounce. The golden opportunity came when his target stepped out of the building and into a back balcony overlooking the horse jumping venue behind the casino. The lead dancer stood in the open for a minute or so, taking in the night breeze, staring into the distance where a young horse rider rehearsed with a brown, quarter horse. She observed with an air of authority, like she was responsible for every success in this franchise._

_Fiona would stay for a little longer before taking off, heading for the side stairs to go down and avoiding the crowds from the front. Undaunted, Leonard crept up to her, following her closely and making sure she was within striking distance. The sequence was like a night safari hunt, where the predator would use its stealth and the darkness to ambush its prey, catching it off-guard and having its way with it._

_But the hunt wasn't particularly successful for Leonard, as Fiona caught on to his footsteps clapping against the metallic floor. She whipped her head around and saw the bespectacled man standing about ten feet behind her, staring at her with emotionless eyes and arms draped over his front, carrying his suitcase just in front of his knees. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, "Are you crazy enough to stalk me?"_

_Despite having his cover blown, Leonard remained determined. He shuffled forward into the light, the shadow edging away from his body until his face was shown in an eerie, round spotlight. "Miss Kauffman, I'll ask you again, remove the necklace," he instructed her, "Mr. Perry has clearly said that he would like it returned, and I won't leave until this is accomplished." Leonard stood his ground, refusing to budge an inch._

_But Fiona remained unimpressed. "Is that what all men are like today? You do whatever you please, and would resort to exercising authority, if not violence, just to get what you want?" she retorted, crossing her arms defiantly, "You're just following orders, what kind of a man are you when all you can do is focus on a necklace?"_

_That sparked a memory from Leonard's brain, as it was one of the lines that Candy hurled at him during her final rant. At the hotel, Candy called Leonard out for only having the eyes on the Heart of Balacruf, and nothing on her. In that instant, three years of friendship dissolved into dust as Leonard pushed her down the stairs, and this strange confrontation at the casino was becoming scarily similar to that incident._

"_It's not your necklace anyway, so why don't you just pretend you never saw it at all and let me be?" Fiona continued her verbal assault, snapping Leonard's attention back to her. Fiona now had the upper hand, as the momentum of her argument quickly brought forth more personal attacks. "You're like a dog, only following master's orders and guarding master's belongings. How pathetic it is for a man like you to behave like that! What I do with this necklace is none of your business, so get out of my sight!"_

_And again, moments of Candy's outburst were evoked in Leonard, as almost the same lines were uttered here. Suddenly, the rage he bottled inside for the past few days were unleashed like ash from a volcano, as the betrayal he felt from Candy boiled over. His hands gripped the case tighter, his knuckles ice white as he hyperventilated, all the while hearing Fiona's hurtful words. "Never let me see you again, you hear? Get away from me, you freak!" she shouted, spitting each word into Leonard's face._

_Just like last time, Leonard lost all control as he lunged at the dancer. Letting out a roar of anger, he shot out his hands and shoved the woman off the stairs, watching the body roll and bang against the metal steps. By the time the body had reached the bottom of the stairs, Fiona Kauffman was ice cold dead. Leonard stared on, pulse still pounding as he pushed another disgraceful woman to her doom. He whipped around and headed back indoors, hoping to make an escape before anyone had noticed. As the door to the second floor closed, a young horse rider dismounted from her quarter horse, right after she and her Mizuho friend noticed a commotion, and decided to investigate._

* * *

Arnold and Gil stared at Leonard in silence, watching the bespectacled man say in a remorseless voice, "Those women were all lowlife beings, and they all deserved it," he muttered, "Candy, Fiona Kauffman, Perry's wife, you name it. They all had only the Heart of Balacruf in mind, and they didn't care about anything else."

"That's why you had to take justice into your own hands," Arnold retorted, "It's because you didn't think the world should operate this way, but also to rid yourself of the pain that you've been bottling for the last few years, right?"

Leonard only smirked as Arnold removed the two file folders from the table. But Gil was having none of that, as he sought to exert his thoughts onto the jewellery expert. "You had a pretty good plan going there," he commented, "You were the one that nobody ever looked for, the one that's always flying under the radar. But you did make one slip that I noticed, and that was your admiration for Raine's thirst for knowledge."

Leonard's eyes tilted towards the female half-elf, and the arrogance on his face immediately changed to anger. "She's by far the worst of the bunch, having betrayed me like that," he spat, "She claims she strives for wisdom, but her true colours showed when she put on that Heart of Balacruf and turned into the sluts that I worked with."

Now it was Gil's turn to put on the cocky grin. "You see, that's where you're wrong," he pointed out, leaning forward to be at the same level with Leonard, "Raine was never on your side to begin with. Yes, she did admit to learning a lot from you, and she did enjoy her time discussing history with you. But when it came down to getting things done, Raine knew what was the right thing to do, although it took a lot of coaxing from me to convince her to turn into a 'slut' so to speak." Gil explained, wiggling his fingers in the air in the form of quotations as he finished that line, "Might I elaborate?"

"_There is no way I am ever degrading myself like that!" Raine exclaimed as Gil took her out of the unit and into a side hallway. After Arnold told her his intentions, Raine was keen to carry out the task, but when Gil proposed his idea to her, she was vehemently against it. What in the world could he be thinking when he asked her to sneak off with the necklace and pretend to be one of those rich, snobby ladies? Did her self-dignity mean nothing to him? "How dare you even think about that idea?" she snapped._

_Gil immediately shot a hand to cover her mouth. He squeezed his crutches with his armpits to prevent them from falling, while the other hand tapped a finger on his lips. Looking around to ensure nobody heard them, Gil leaned in and whispered, "You're the perfect person for the job. You know about the necklace's cursed history, you have access to Leonard easily, you fit the description of the two deceased individuals, and you're the most unpredictable. Besides, Leonard seems to have taken a liking to you, either in a scholarly way, or in the romantic way. So if you don't do it, no one can," Gil described._

_Raine pried Gil's hand from her mouth, taking a deep breath as she mulled over his words. True, there were suspicious parts about Leonard that she wanted answers to, but she wasn't sure if this was the best way to do it. Besides, which part of her showed a superficial streak? "I never act like that, so even if I agree, he'll see through it. I still say it's a dangerous idea, at best," Raine countered, tucking the documents and the jewel under her arm._

"_But that's the point," Gil replied, refitting the crutches under his arms, "To be a slut, you have to look like anything but one. He will never expect you to behave like that, meaning you have the advantage in your hands. Add to the fact that we'll all be there to observe you, there's no way you'll get into danger, you hear me?"_

_Raine pouted at Gil, unimpressed and reluctant to go along. But knowing that she could be the only chance, she knew she had to take one for the team. After a few minutes of grumbling, she moved her way down the stairs, her mind on the potential location of Leonard at the moment. Gil told her that he would be in the first room from the stairs in the basement, and that she should start baiting the hook by the time she went down. How am I ever going to juggle so many things at once, she thought._

_In fact, her mind was so wrapped up in the proposals from both police and Gil that she didn't notice the last flight of stairs. Taking a wrong step, she ended up doing the splits on the spot, stretching out her right leg and getting a nasty sprain. "Oh boy, just what I need." She looked around, wondering if anybody could help her._

_And just as Gil predicted, Leonard burst onto the scene. "Are you alright?" he asked. And within minutes, Leonard whisked Raine into the waiting room he was placed in earlier, and continued his healing on her. Even though Raine knew some basic healing spells, she chose not to use or reveal them, opting to observe Leonard just to see if Gil's theory held true. Indeed, the jewellery expert showed his tender caring side, icing her swollen ankle and cleaning the cuts and bruises on her shins. Knowing that everything worked well, she decided to remain silent and play sponge, absorbing all the details._

* * *

"And it worked too well, in fact," Gil continued, "So much so that I had to bring in a second character early. When Zelos Wilder told me that he was to be released just as Raine fell, I know that they would cross paths. That's why I didn't hesitate in asking him to play the role of the shameless flirt, just to make things livelier."

The redhead in the corner perked up, that same flirtatious smile he had on when he was at the police station earlier crossing his face. "Fireman's carry method or wife carrying method?" he asked, causing laughter to go down the line of people.

Gil chuckled and nodded, lifting a hand to recognize Zelos' efforts. "When Zelos and Raine returned to the hotel, they told me everything. It didn't hurt that Zelos made a good enough distraction to officers nearby for Raine to slide into a corner and slip the necklace on. Luckily, Sheena managed to get a bandana from our horse rider friend to wrap around Raine's neck, so that she wouldn't go out of the police station looking like a sore thumb. So to this extent, the two stars had much support from the secondary cast."

Gil leaned his head completely into Leonard's line of vision, the smug mug leering into the bespectacled man, "And the box she handed to the police? That's right, it was empty. She laid low for the rest of the day, did a small spell to heal up her ankle, and helped me flush out all those photos from Candy's past shoots, just to put together that wonderful little slide show to nail your face to the wall," he snickered, shutting down his laptop.

"But wait," Lynn called, waving her hand from the sidelines, "there's one person who you didn't mention that stole the show, and without him we can never apprehend our suspect." Lynn signalled to the boy seated at her right, who was too busy looking into the depression on his gut in the darkness to even lift his head up.

"_See, what did I tell you? Evenings at the beach are actually more fun than in the day," Lloyd told Genis as he brought the young half-elf to the surf. It was probably the first time in his life that Genis got to experience night swim, something Lloyd and Colette had attempted many times before when they were younger. Eager to try, Genis didn't hesitate in diving into the water, splashing around and basking in the moon's glow._

"_Hey, this is great!" Genis exclaimed, doing a back float and glancing around. On the beach, Lloyd was chirping happily with Colette, slightly embracing each other and having fun. Both were in their summer gears, Lloyd in the dark blue board shorts, Colette in the brown skirt and white tank top tied up to show her belly, and both seemed so carefree and easy. It made Genis wonder what the adults would think about this. "Hey guys, where did everyone else go? Do they even know we're here?" he shouted, his body floating further away from the shoreline._

_The two lovesick teens said something inaudible, but Genis didn't really care. Bobbing on his back among the waves was too much fun for him, and he didn't want to miss it for anything. Deciding to add one of his favourite activities to this new pastime, he balanced his back straight and, using his leg muscles to keep position, did a few belly rolls in the water. His abdomen flipped and flopped with the waves, dipping his tummy in and out of the water. "Hey, this is fun!" he declared, placing a finger into his belly button again and wiggling it along with the movement, "It's like parallel waves!"_

_Genis continued balancing as he called for Lloyd and Colette, hoping to show them the new trick. But there was no answer from Lloyd and Colette, which caused Genis to break formation and view his surroundings. He had floated quite a ways from the beach, and no one was in sight. Realizing that he should probably get back, he flipped back to an upright position and dove forward, using a front stroke to propel himself back to land. The dark surroundings and the splash of water before him clouded his vision, but he could see Lloyd and Colette hustle away in the distance, heading up the stairs to the right side of the beach. "Strange, they came down the left stairs," Genis muttered as he continued powering his way forward, "What trick are they playing on me?"_

_By the time the young half-elf reached land, his two friends were already gone. Genis shook his head from side to side, spraying the water out of his silver hair like a dog and grabbed his sandals from the ground. Water still dripped from his two-toned trunks, and the evaporation of the liquid from his bare chest, stomach, and back sent some chills up his body. He squeezed some more drops from the swimsuit, and snatched his beach hat from the sand, hanging it around his neck again. He squinted around, trying to see through the ink-black night, only to find no one in sight. "Guys?" he called again._

"_You're just as bad as Frank, the other graduates, the students I teach, and the haughty people whom I attend conferences with. All of you want to put me down, but the second I do something right you all want a piece of me!" A familiar voice snapped Genis' attention to the stairs on his left. At the top was a young woman with similarly coloured hair, striking a pose and yelling back at someone. "What kind of a man are you? I know, a useless one!" the voice continued yelling as Genis inched forward._

_Genis trotted up to the bottom of the stairs and a look of horror crossed his face. On the top was his sister Raine, and she was edging dangerously close to falling. And just behind her was a man taking a slow but threatening trudge at her like the Frankenstein monster. Then, without warning, the man pounced rushing at her with his hands out, ready to plummet her down. I got to do something, Genis thought. Immediately, his elf instinct took over and he stretched his arms into the air. Gathering the mana from the wind, he shot it at the top of the stairs. "Wind blade!" he yelled._

_A ball of air surrounded the man, slicing away at him as Genis raced up the steps as quickly as his legs could take him. His muscles already had quite a workout from the swim, as it was pure adrenaline that drove him upward. He ignored any aches and pains as he raced for his sister, knowing that his speed was the only thing to preventing her from being harmed. He was about halfway up when the spell dissipated, and a grey-haired woman wrapped a towel around Raine and whisked her away. "Grandma, so you got her out safely," Genis murmured, his tone relaxing for a second._

_He turned back at Raine's attacker and his eyes flashed in anger. He recognized the face, as it was the same jewellery expert that Raine kept telling everyone about. She showed him a picture of them at the police station the first time, where Raine basically begged and pleaded with him to show her the Heart of Balacruf. His hands balled into fists as every exposed muscle on Genis' body clenched in anger, wanting to take down the assailant, especially one that he thought Raine was good friends with. Seeing the man try to stand up and take off, Genis had the perfect trick to slip him up and slow him down. He aimed his hands at the ground, focused the mana and brought up several boulders from the concrete. "Have a Stone Blast!" he cried, the rocks flipping the man head over heels._

_Genis hustled up the rest of the steps, standing before the fallen figure. His eyes were so focused on keeping him down that he didn't even notice Leonard lift up a leg. In one swift motion, the bespectacled man whipped his shoe against the debris, blasting the sand and gravel at Genis. The youngster let out a cry of surprise as the dusty material landed all over his swim trunks and abdomen, and it didn't help that his still moist body made the dirt stick onto him. "What the heck?" he yelled in shock._

_Before Genis could even react, Zelos and Lloyd jumped out from nowhere and tackled Leonard, pinning him to the ground while Colette aimed a video camera into his face. "You're pretty aggressive, aren't you? So if Raine falls off, what do you think Lynn will do to me?" he heard Gil ask as the group closed in on him. _

_But Genis' attention was not on the scene, as even Raine and Lynn edging past him couldn't tear his eyes from his gut. The only concern he had was on where the dust had settled, and a good portion landed into a crater-like object in the middle of his abdomen. "The nerve he has, throwing sand into my belly button. And I clean it every day, too," he fumed, instantly sticking a finger into the hole. He was having difficulty removing the sticky stuff, and the darkness surrounding him only confounded him more._

* * *

"Nobody would have expected Genis to be that dedicated, but he does care for Raine, and I couldn't be more proud of him," Lynn commented, placing a hand on her grandson's bare shoulder, "In fact, I'm truly proud of them both, since it's together that they solved this case. I'm truly honoured to have two fantastic grandkids, and I love you both very much." Lynn beamed at Raine several seats down, who smiled and nodded in return.

Arnold clapped his hands together and rubbed them gently. "I think we have a solved case. The police will be officially charging you, Mr. Leonard Yancey, for the deaths of Candice Shallow and Fiona Kauffman, as well as the attempted murder of Raine Sage," he declared, signalling two officers to take Leonard away, "But first, I think you should remove the necklace from Raine's neck and submit it as evidence."

The officers marched Leonard up to Raine, who stood up and turned around for Leonard. The police kept their eyes peeled on the bespectacled man, in case he did anything crazy in this moment. Leonard's cuffed hands moved up to the clasp, placing his digits on the chain and slowly working the complicated hinge. "I still have tremendous respect for you, Raine," he told her as his fingers pecked at the necklace, "Unlike those other women, your thirst of knowledge never dies, and the fact that you're willing to bypass superficiality makes you worthy in my eyes. We could have worked well together, but then you had to side with them and ruin it for us!" Leonard spat.

But Raine remained undeterred. "No, you ruined it for yourself. Because as much as I hate superficiality, I'm able to tolerate it, and will do everything in my power to turn it into potential learning experiences," she explained, "You, however, chose not to use the challenge as an outlet for yourself, only focusing on your modelling projects and photos of Candy and other rich ladies. And that proves you're just as superficial as they are. You judged them for what they did, not what they could be, and that will cost you."

The clasp snapped loose just as Raine finished her comment, letting the necklace slide off her collar. Arnold stuck out a hand and pulled it away from Raine, freeing her from the terrifying ordeal. He slipped it into an evidence bag while the officers escorted Leonard away. Turning to Gil, he shook the goateed man's hand. "I must thank you from the bottom of my heart, as you've helped our unit solve two very complicated cases. And you did it while you're on vacation, and still recovering from a leg injury. On behalf of the Altamira Police and everyone in our unit, you have our gratitude," Arnold announced.

Gil smiled back, while lifting a hand to his friends. "I couldn't have done it without these guys, so it's all good. We have one full day left here before heading back to Iselia, so let's enjoy it while we still can, alright?" With that, he gestured at the door.

The travel group filed out one by one. Lloyd and Colette wrapped arms around each other, congratulating each other on a job well done. "It wasn't easy, but I'm glad we got this chance to prove to each other that we can do big things together. I just hope we use this as a chance to forward our relationship," Lloyd whispered, holding Colette close.

Sheena and Zelos walked with the young horse rider, all the while amazed at the turn of events. "We were both falsely accused, got our names cleared, and made the police's work easier, and it didn't hurt that we made a new friend with that horse rider," Zelos commented, "It sure beats being a mole dealing with military affairs, I'll say."

Gil and Raine were next, with Gil still reassuring Raine, who seemed relieved by the closing of the case. As they talked gently with each other, they didn't notice that there was one person still loitering around in the now empty interrogation room, and it got an elderly lady concerned. "Genis, why are you taking that long?" she asked her grandson.

But Genis didn't bother looking up, as he continued picking at his belly button. He has a finger prodding at it constantly, wiggling it from side to side trying to fling as much filth out of it as possible. Sighing exasperatedly, Lynn pulled him out the door by his elbow. "Clean it up tomorrow in the shower, alright?" she chided.

"What? You can't be serious!" Genis whined, looking up with furrowed brows, "You mean I have to sleep with this gunk in my belly button?"

* * *

And yes, I was writing my conscience into this story again. I'm of the belief that we write fanfics to make a franchise better. Rather than focus on what a franchise did and the stereotypes that people associate (or make up) with it, I focus on how a franchise progresses and what we can do to make it better. And that's my 30-second rant, and I hope to post the Epilogue by the end of the week. See you then!


	12. Epilogue: Welcome to the Club

Here's the epilogue, my friends! I want to thank **Mandrakefunnyjuice **and **Poet Bucky** for their reviews, but especially Bucky for allowing me to use her (and her horses) as a minor character in this story. You'll get a summary of Gil's thoughts and views on human nature here, and a sneak peek at some of the people to show up in the next story!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Hong Kong TVB owns To Catch the Uncatchable.

* * *

"Yeah Hairball, you can do it!" the crowd exclaimed as they cheered on the large, white Gypsy Vanner. There was a series of low fences scattered around the jumping venue, and the young horse rider guided the horse through with confidence, like they had done this every day of their lives. Horse and rider made a sharp turn, aiming for another obstacle, a deep ditch, before ending off with a small jump near the bleachers.

"See, I told you it was worth coming to see," Sheena told her friends as they marvelled at the large horse's smooth movements. The Mizuho native suggested that they spent their last full day in Altamira at the horse jumping venue, watching her friend do a practice run with Hairball for the upcoming horse jumping competition. While it seemed like an awkward move, the beauty of this animal truly amazed everyone.

But three people did not have their attention entirely on the horse jump, as they were too busy discussing the events of days past. "It almost seems like for both cases, it was extreme circumstances that drove each person into killing," Colette commented.

Gil shrugged, leaning back on his seat as he explained, "Human nature is that funny. Sometimes, we will do things that we usually openly condemn and despise in some cases. Take Childress, for example," he recalled the hotel murders case, "He really felt he made a difference in Masako's life, only to be shot down by him that fast. I don't know what he was feeling, but I can definitely imagine the pain he took. Now, it doesn't mean we should excuse him for his crime, and we should still ensure he receives punishment, but you can see why him being unappreciated affected him."

"Do you think it's because Masako has been so-called 'put on a pedestal' himself, so much so that he thinks his questionable ethics with the ladies is alright?" Lloyd asked, "I don't think Masako himself condones the behaviour, since he only did it to keep his clients. But later on he seemed to have accepted it as the truth, and even embraced it too."

"Well, once you have been doing something for a long time, and you start getting used to it, you just don't think about its consequences or implications," Gil described, "It took every ounce of my energy to convince myself that I wasn't a member of Cruxis, and I was doing all these terrible things to uphold the law and protect you. But not everyone can handle internal conflicts that easily, and that's why Masako soon forgot about his morals. He's not going to care who thinks what about him, as all he wants is the money and his high-paying job. That's why Childress' efforts to persuade him fell on deaf ears."

The crowd watched and held their breaths as Hairball picked up speed, rushing at the fenced posts with the large ditch like an airplane taking off. Then, with grace and art, the horse leapt over the gate, clearing the ditch with room to spare and landing perfectly, causing another roar of approval from the audience. Gil, Lloyd, and Colette applauded politely as the horse slowed its pace, and returned to their conversation as the rider got it prepared for the final jump. "It's pretty obvious that for Candy's case, she's the one on the pedestal, but I would say she's not the only one there," Colette pointed out, "Seeing all the superficial people Leonard dealt with, it's obvious they all made him go berserk."

"True, but she pushed Leonard closest to the edge," Gil replied calmly, "Leonard worked with her for three years, and saw her degrade to the lowest level, so you bet he's hurt when she turned on him. In fact, Candy degraded herself because she felt, with her fame, she can have anyone she wants, and ditch anyone she doesn't want. But the two she felt would never ditch her did, and they're the two she wanted most: Zelos and Seles."

"She was ditched by Zelos and Seles, but it's mainly because she treated them poorly," Lloyd retorted, leaning his elbows on his knees, "Had she shown them a little more respect, I think they'll be more than willing to approve of her modelling projects."

Gil shrugged. "Again, it's human nature. The higher up you're placed, the less willing you are to step down. When Candy encountered Zelos again, he's a world hero and she's modelling the most precious jewel in the world. She was reminded of the one thing that she wanted back, but never got. It only turned her to drugs and alcohol quicker and pushed people further away. Leonard, already under so much pain, finally lost control and pushed her off the stairs, leading to a tragedy that could be prevented," Gil leaned his chin on his palms, "If they were more tolerant, we wouldn't have the case."

A certain half-elf decided to get off his seat and climb onto the railing to see the final jump. Taking off his shirt, Genis lifted it into the air and waved at the horse. "Let's go Hairball!" he shouted as the Gypsy Vanner charged at the final target. But just as he flew over the small jump, the shirt wave spooked Hairball, causing him to turn away from Genis. He neighed loudly, digging his hooves into the ground and threw a large amount of dirt into the air, whipping it right into Genis' bare chest and abdomen.

Genis winced, realizing that he must shower all over again. He placed his shirt on a nearby post and, balancing delicately on the fence, tried to pluck the clay-like material from his skin. From above, the rider edged Hairball closer to the half-elf and chided him. "You shouldn't have taken off your shirt and waved it. You could easily spook him."

Genis didn't even look up as he peeled clump after clump away. He was about to edge into his debris-filled belly button, when a nose beat him there. Hairball leaned down and sniffed the area, exhaling like a big dog and blowing into the round, deep hole. "Hey, that tickles," Genis blurted out, trying to wedge a hand in for protection.

But the horse refused to move, torturing Genis with his hot breath. The rider giggled. "You're lucky I braided his mane up," she explained, "I've been nuzzled before, but never with my shirt lifted like you. Although you should see what happened when I was grooming him, with all that loose hair all over my arms, it'll really make you itch."

"What do you do to groom him?" Genis asked as the crowd slowly moved to the fence, hoping to hear more about the explanation regarding horse grooming.

The girl blinked. "For me, I usually start with the neck, where the mane is," the rider described, pointing at the area of interest, "I usually start there, and work down the body until I reach the tail. I have a variety of combs that I can use for him, including but not limited to a rubber curry comb, a hard-bristled brush, a 'duster' as I called it, a soft brush, and a plastic curry comb for the mane and tail," she finished with a flourish.

The rider's focus on describing the procedure meant her attention was away from Genis, who was seriously getting annoyed with the velvet-like nostrils on his gut. He pressed his hands on the sides of Hairball's snout and tried pushing off, only to get a loud snort, followed by a huge breath of air in return. The teenager saw it and smiled, rubbing the side of Hairball's neck and easing him away from the half-elf. "There's nothing tasty in his belly button, so knock it off, you!" she teased the horse.

The Gypsy Vanner obeyed the girl's orders, pushing his snout back slightly and allowing Genis' stomach to see daylight again. But it still didn't erase the suspicious look on Genis' face. "What do you mean by tasty?" he demanded, his eyes narrowed to darts.

The girl smiled. "Sometimes when you dangle something in front of Hairball, he'll see it as food. If you pierced your belly button with a dangling piercing, then chances are Hairball will lip it. So thank goodness your belly button is bare," she replied.

Genis cocked an eyebrow, one hand sneaking back to his tummy and guarded the bowl-shaped depression jealously. "Lip it? Then what would he do if I was an outie?"

The girl pointed at the horse's mouth. "See how big his lips are? Instead of biting things, he takes them into his lips. As for an outie," the girl shrugged, "I've never been nuzzled with my shirt up before, and just like you, I'm an innie. So I probably wouldn't know, but I doubt he'll nibble on an outie. He sniffs you mainly out of curiosity, as he probably wonders why you have a hole or lump on your gut. But look on the bright side," she suggested, leaning forward and twirling a finger around Hairball's braids, "Hairball just cleaned your belly button. I never got help when my belly button was dirty."

Just then, Genis' eyes sparkled. "So you got a belly button obsession as well? I never would have expected that," he grinned, "Welcome to the club, my friend."

"I think I started that club, but either way. Put her there, belly button fanatic," the rider responded, nodding in agreement. The two reached over and slapped hands. They started a gentle chuckle, which spread across to everyone else as they observed the two new friends, all the while giggling at Genis wiggling his belly button at the horse.

* * *

"So this is it, we're going home," Lloyd commented as everyone stared at the ticker for their flight in the airport. Even Regal and George were there to bid them farewell as their vacation reached its conclusion. Ahead of them, there was nothing but a new school year or work schedule waiting for them, with some starting within a week.

For most, it was memorable for a variety of reasons, some more unwarranted than others. In fact, Sheena was so relieved in being free that she decided to take a detour, opting to go to Mizuho for a couple of days before returning to Palmacosta to finish her research. "I probably want to see how Mark and Kuchinawa are doing first, and maybe say hello to Grandpa as well," she stated, "Mark has to go back to Palmacosta with me to teach anyway, so I might as well wait for him and make sure he's alright."

Gil nodded. "Well, we wish you good luck then. And we wish Mark well too, since he's still trying to patch together the relationship with his brother." Gil hadn't met Kuchinawa personally, having seen him only once when he was undercover with Rodyle. But he heard the tragic stories from Zelos and Sheena, and could only hope for the best.

"No more vacations for me," Zelos chimed in, tightening his bag, "I'm joining you guys on the flight to Meltokio, but that's the furthest I'll go. I'll have to report back to the Intelligence Bureau to check out my next projects with them. I know I'm still on medical leave, but I think they might offer me a trainer or instructor position, and I'll have to help out again. Maybe I can teach the new recruits some new pick-up lines!"

Gil shook his head. "Just make sure you teach them the important stuff on counterterrorism and not the weird stuff that makes them get assaulted, or at least get arrested for causing a scene," he retorted, slapping Zelos' shoulder playfully.

As Zelos and Sheena went to check in their bags with the Brunels and the Sages, Regal came up to Gil and shook his hand as well. "Thanks, my friend. If it weren't for you showing me that there were still so many problems in Lezareno, with worker morale and questionable moves, I never would have known what changes to make. Now, George and I will meet with the Board again, and we'll see if more changes can be made so that we can turn profits, and still keep the workers happy and productive," Regal explained.

Gil returned the gesture, and offered it to the company's senior head advisor. "Don't worry. I won't turn you into a milkshake," Gil assured the moustachioed man.

George grabbed Gil's hand and shook it firmly. "Thank you for visiting, and I wish you the very best when you return to the police force," he stated sincerely.

As Regal and George waved goodbye, Gil clopped up to Lloyd, who was the last person to check in their bags, after waiting for Zelos, Sheena, and the other two families to do so first. Gil watched as Lloyd carefully placed each bag onto the conveyor belt, speaking with the security staff and pointing out Gil's disability. Gil couldn't help but admire Lloyd, as the air of calmness and sensibility surrounded his formerly brash son. True, he had already learned a lot since he helped Gil solve the Cruxis case. But he couldn't help but think that Lloyd had matured even more, from both solving these new cases with him, and from dealing with and diffusing potential conflicts with Colette.

"Thank you very much," Lloyd told the ticket booth as he pocketed the stubs. Turning to his father, he led him into the restricted zone and helped him through the metal detectors. "They got us our seats already, so we're all set."

Gil nodded and smiled, appreciating all the maturation Lloyd went through in the last months. "How's everything working with Colette?" he asked.

"Oh that? Everything's fine now," he replied as they neared the rest of their group at the terminal. Gil could see Genis still jumping up and down excitedly as Raine sat with Lynn, while the Brunels were in a distance somewhat fretting over their carry-on luggage bags, "We're going slow for now, and just working things through. Knowing that this will be our last year of high school, who knows what the future will bring."

Genis happily bounded up to Lloyd, dragging him to the group. "It's too bad that the horse rider won't be coming to Iselia. I think she'd make a great friend, with all her zaniness and horse riding skills. I wonder where she lives?" he pondered aloud.

"Actually, I have a feeling that we might meet her again," Raine said from her seat, "After all, there are bound to be tournaments here and there, so who knows where she's going to go? We could see her in the near future, if we're lucky."

Lloyd chuckled, messing up Genis' already wild silver hair. "You're just eager to have someone as crazy about belly buttons as you are around you," he responded, "Just don't spend all your time poking people's belly buttons in school, or I'm not sure how Raine or your grandma might react. Can you imagine getting a call home like that?"

Gil grinned warmly at the friendship scene before him. He was about to approach and soak it up when a buzz from his pants pocket interrupted him. Reaching for his cell, he took a gander at the number and frowned in a puzzled look. "Hello, Captain Noishe?" he greeted the other side, "I'm waiting to board my plane, what's the deal?"

"This has to do with the new unit we're putting together for you," Noishe replied, the rustling of file folders could be heard in a background scratching sound, "We're now considering people to be included in our unit, and we have some candidates that we were hoping to go over with you. I know you still have sick leave time, but can you look them over?"

Gil winced. It would mean more work for him in the next few days, but if it meant knowing his colleagues better, then he was game. "Sure, send them over," he responded affirmatively, "Who are some of the potential candidates?"

"There are a few internal people that are pretty good," Noishe explained, checking his list, "There's a communications expert formerly of SIU, there are a couple of younger ones that graduated quite high in their class, there's an elf from the Heimdall police force that transferred here a couple years back, and on and on it goes. What do you think?"

Gil mulled them over, wondering what interesting personalities he might meet. But one thing was for sure: if he was to lead this new unit as staff sergeant, then he might as well start getting used to being a team player again. "Whoever they are, just tell them this one thing from me," Gil requested, "Welcome to the club."

* * *

And yes, Bucky and Genis are officially the founding members of the "Belly Button Fanatics Club" where everything related to belly buttons will be mentioned (although Genis is the bigger fanatic here). As well, anybody interested in having an OC in the next story as officers in Gil's new unit, please feel free to contact me. I hope to have the next story debut later this month. Until then, so long!


End file.
